HE WHO KILLS
by SulphurXDrew
Summary: Captured by Giovanni Ash goes through illegal experiments run on him that turns him into a monster. After that he escapes the lab. Drew is a detective who is hired by Team rocket agent to track Ash down. But on the mission Drew gets kidnapped by Ash. And during the circumstances they grew close and develop a bonding. (Yaoi)
1. Chapter 1

**Pokemons**:-

Ash: Charizard , Greninja, Pikachu (rumoured to be deceased), Meloetta (hidden), Hoopa (hidden).

Drew's: Zoroark (hidden ), Gardevoir (hidden), Flygon, Roserade , Absol.

May: Blaziken (Hidden), Glaceon, Beautifly. Misdreavous (Not officially owned).

Giovanni: Persian, Sableye, Heatran(seized).

Some other canon characters (not to be named for now) will be introduced soon along with the story.

**Chapter 1**

The crowd was all too loud to the greenette's liking. He had been hoping for the appointment to be over soon. And he hoped that the music would die down a little when he would talk to the person, if he was kind enough to arrive in time. His wrist watch indicated otherwise though. So he decided to busy himself with the task of observing others to kill the time. This kind of Place was always good for some shady corporate talk since no one there was in the mood to actually care about what others had been doing. Everyone was busy enjoying themselves.

Well the man finally arrived. A middle aged blonde with a few wrinkles visible on his face.

He sat down next to the greenette and regarded him with a warm smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Drew. But I assure you that's not how I am always." The man said.

"I am not a bit bothered. And I will be more than glad if we continue with the topic. Since you said it is secretive and you couldn't share with everyone." Drew suggested.

"Oh yes, the topic." The person said letting out a thoughtful hum. "I don't know how would you take it but. There was a-"

They got interrupted when a waitress came to put down two drinks before them. Drew had almost forgotten that he had already ordered for them both and politely instructed the woman to pass it only after the second person would arrive.

They both thanked her before she nodded and got back to mind her other business.

"What were you saying?" Drew reminded him.

"There was someone I need to share something about. So pay attention since it's really a rare case. A boy, Ash ketchum, born in the Pallet town, who used to be an aspiring trainer but…" the man paused before resuming, "Now that he is dead, he is causing trouble for me and a few others."

"Excuse me?" Drew said almost putting down the drink from his mouth trying not to spill the liquid.

The other person took no notice of it. He simply removed the sliced orange from the rim of his glass before putting it down in the side and started to draw circular motions on the surface of the glass.

"I am not joking. I am telling you the truth." Then with a halt he started again, "I was the coroner who examined his body."

Drew had had enough by then, "Look I am sorry, if this is a kind of prank you are trying to pull to fool me on first April, then this is not working." He said in a calm voice.

"I a-m n-o-t j-o-k-i-n-g." he said in a low but such a desperate tone that Drew hunched over in curiosity to hear the next part.

"He's dead, but he exists. He somehow became undead."

What nonsense he's talking about. He can't expect me to believe that. Drew thought.

As if reading his thought, the man begin in a quieter tone, "You will realize if I tell you the story, but I am instructed not to break any details or make it public. I will simply go to the point of why I called you here." He said.

Drew sighed, "Go on!"

"We want you to provide a job. Don't worry we will pay well. And you will be glad to receive the amount if the job is done swiftly." He said to Drew.

"And what does that job require?"

"We want you to hunt down the very location of this undead guy. Once you get where his hideout is, you reveal it to us. We will handle the rest. If you succeed and don't fail us likt those former incompetent spies we had sent after hi, then we will held a grand ceremony in your honour to credit you." The man said.

"I work for cash not credit." Drew said coolly. "By the way, how dangerous is he?"

"Well, he is just a person who has escaped death and causing many problems, and like I said, all the former spies we sent after him failed us." The man lied, totally avoiding to add how all the former spies they had hired for Ash had all gone missing only to be found dead later. In technicality..murdered by him.

"We hope the job will be done well since you are the best at tracking down targets. It is a shame that we could not reach you before, otherwise some time and money could have been saved." The man added after a moment.

"I sure do my best but I am not sure if I am really the best." Drew said.

"Oh come on! Don't be so modest. we know how you exposed that corrupted evil leader of a criminal gang by planting a chip in one of his bouquets he had to receive in his birthday. That was really smart." The man remarked.

"I don't like talking about the past even if it is about my success." Drew said with a meaningful frown.

"I see..for some specific reasons you want to appear oblivious to what your job included in the past." He said, "It's okay we appreciate that."

"And another thing, I hope you have his photo." Drew came to the point.

"Of course." He said and produced an envelope from under his jacket before handing it to Drew. The un-suspecting green haired boy took it with much care before assuring his employer that he would do his best for the job to be fulfilled soon.

With a few other exchanges of words he said good bye to the man.

After Drew left. The man still sat there, smirking.

"If this boy turns out to be another failure then we have to give up our hope for that vicious killer." He said to himself.

But at least I don't have to be murdered if the incident repeats. It would be this boy. He thought.

* * *

Saying that the place was chilling would be an understatement. It was beyond chilling . So scary that even demons won't land there. And such places are never a choice of spot to venture upon at night when you can already smell the danger . Except for a few necessary moments as such.

Drew had already sneaked into the nearest bush that was luckily surrounded by boulders. So he could stay there hidden for a moment. After a while he came out and took some curious and careful look of his surroundings. It took him almost several days to actually track down this location. The combined teamwork of him and his Gardevoir and Zoroark worked well. Like it always did.

The place he was standing now looked like a haunted ruin. In his childhood he had actively participated in many urban exploring games. He was quite exploring enthusiast and loved paying visits at decrepit, dilapidated buildings and other creepy places. Some the other people in the exploring team used to get creeped out. But it never unnerved Drew. This was his hobby. And he was more than eager to do it.

But this place seemed a little odd. It seemed lifeless as natural but Drew could feel someone's presence there. As if he was not the only one. If that undead or whatever the crap they told him about was real. And this place indeed turned out to be his lair, then Drew had to be careful since what he was doing was literally trespassing. But he couldn't leave without taking a few shots in his camera. That would convince his employer that this was the place their target was living secretly. Once he was done with that it would be over.

He was startled by a noise that drew his attention towards the sky. A huge pokemon flew over his head. Like many of those who had a scrutinizing gaze, Drew could easily tell what was that pokemon by just a glimpse of it's silhouette. No matter if the pokemon had appeared for a split second and vanished like a black blur.

"A Charizard?" Drew whispered.

It's not that dark types and ghost types are the only ones who choose such places for their stay. Besides, just because Charizard isn't a nocturnal pokemon doesn't mean it can't appear in places like this.

But that dragon pokemon was least of Drew's problems for now.

"I have to hurry." Drew said and dared to take the flight of stairs that had descended into the dark. Seemed like it was some crypt. But now it was totally useless for proper burials. And it was no surprise that someone who was claimed to be undead would choose a place like this for himself. The place was darkened, eerily quiet and dusty. Not that it bothered Drew. The only sight that caught Drew's attention was the unguarded passage that leaded him further down.

He stopped by a place where he could halt for a moment to catch his breath. He now had his Absol by his side, who was using flash. That move enabled that quadruped white furred pokemon to produce quite an impressive amount of light which could easily blind someone. But the pokemon knew how much to use and in which situation. For now he made it work like simple but necessary for them to see. Much like a substitute for an original flash light.

When they had reached the end of the passage, they were surrounded by undergrounded chambers with numerous gaps between tunnels that ran here and there. The place was like a maze. Coffins were piled up and Drew knew not to think what was inside them. He called back Absol to its pokeball before resuming his pace.

He had read many haunted stories where lonely visitors like him were often greeted by shady figures lurking behind them. Or something even more sinister.

But Drew knew those things happened in stories only.

Ignoring the remains of his thoughts he decided to turn around to choose a proper way for him, it was then when he heard footsteps behind him.

It was one of those moments when people actually lost their nerves and gave up. This was the moment when even Drew could hear the sound of his pounding heart inside his rib cage.

So he had finally found Ash ketchum? or maybe he got found instead. This was not the part of his operations though. And he had to think before things get nastier.

The green haired lad dared to steal a glance of who it might be behind him.

And it was there. Glaring at him with red glowing eyes.

Glowing?! Then this is not just a rare case, it's the rarest.

"Okay that's enough." Drew muttered slowly, his next reaction was automatic when his body made the decision for him. He ran at his best speed, knowing that the thing behind him would surely give a chase. But he couldn't stop to witness it.

He stumbled almost like an unbalanced drunkard when he was overcoming the obstacles of the stairs that took him down. With his hands searching at the walls of his sides trying to clutch whatever he could find to properly balance himself. He almost made it. Out of the place, he just needed to call out his Flygon and flee from this place as soon as possible to escape the grasps of that thing with glowing eyes.

Just when his mind was telling him there was a hopeful escape ahead him. He felt a hand with brute strength caught his shoulder and slammed him down on the ground with an amazing force. Drew had to blink in both fear and surprise before he angled his face a little to see the person kneeling above him. That guy made no other movement than just to keep him pinned there and gaze at him with deathly patience. And then Drew's phone decided to ring.

The heavy weight above him made it impossible for him to move. But Still, Drew tried to reach for his phone only to have his both wrists secured tightly in that guy's grip. It was almost painful.

Than with the free hand he searched for Drew's pocket and found the phone. Before Drew could realize anything, the guy crushed the cell phone in his grip as if it was a ginger bread.

One look at his work was enough to tell Drew that this person could easily bend stainless steel.

Before Drew could think, he was flipped violently on his back. The figure then used his one hand to press down Drew's chest in a way that he couldn't break it loose. And with the other hand he searched in Drew's neck, dabbing with his thumb on the skin as if looking for the right spot.

Drew got momentarily taken, he could not protest for a while. Then it hit him. He fearfully realised what was going to happen and started to struggle, but it was a futile attempt. His mind was racing and he used his all might to push him off of him to no avail. He was no match for the person above him.

When the other person was done with what he was doing. He took position and lowered himself, his canine came out as a pair of sharp needle, and then without warning he sank his fangs in Drew's neck. He had to wince in sympathy when a painful yelp came out of Drew's mouth , that totally turned into a hoarse scream almost immediately.

Slowly Ash straightened his position. The person beneath him had passed out, probably from the pain. His green bangs were plastered on his sweaty forehead. He looked so pale and vulnerable that Ash could only stare at him for a moment. One of Drew's hands that was clasped around Ash's forearm, started to slip before falling lifelessly by his side.

Then the lizardoid dragon pokemon that Drew had witnessed before came landing by the pair's side.

There was blood on Drew's neck probably coming from the exposed wound. The bite wasn't supposed to be that deep but the bottom's frantic struggles had caused it. It didn't seem to be a dangerous gaping wound so he would survive and maybe he would heal faster if he got taken care of properly. Banishing the rest of his thoughts, Ash gathered the unconscious boy in his arms and carried him to where Charizard was waiting.

* * *

A brown haired girl was standing on the hillock with a Glaceon by her side, and she was looking at something at a distance, for a better view, she was using a telescope. Then the much awaited moment came and she witnessed the scene.

A Charizard was flying with two riders on it, one of the riders was senseless, and only remained on the pokemon's back because the other one was supporting him.

"So he didn't kill him yet. Then he probably won't kill him.'' she muttered to herself.

After Charizard flew out of her viewing range, she turned around to her pokemon.

"If my suspicion turns out to be true then I can actually end the chapter of this so called 'He Who Kills'." She added.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Drew came to, he could feel the headache and an urge to throw up. He tried to lift himself up but the former dizziness he had felt before passing out took him again. So he decided to lie back. besides, his body felt like his all energy was drained out of him. Slowly the image of that creepy thing, with his eyes glowing, towering over him flashed in his mind. He straightened his pose on the couch he was laid on and swallowed hard when he reminisced those fangs and what they did to him. His hand subconsciously touched the skin on his neck where the fangs had punctured him. He felt that there was a band-aid, covering his wound.

After a moment, when the exploding pain in his head subsided a little, he tried to make out about his whereabouts. This place seemed to be in a different location. Not the place where he had been attacked. It looked like a hall room of some kind of abandoned mansion. The place was dim lit but not too dark to have a clear view. The sunlight was trying to penetrate through the cracks of the planks that had been used to board up all the windows. It was daybreak already, which meant he was asleep for the rest of the time during the previous night.

Fear mixed with curiosity, he scanned all over the place for an exit, and was a little stunned when he realized that he wasn't alone!

A Charizard and a Greninja were there, the latter was standing, leaning against a wall with a calm and carefree posture, both hands crossed over its chest. The former, on the other hand, was lying on the floor on its left side in such a pose as if someone was about to draw its picture.

Both pokemons had their eyes closed, but Drew could sense that their attention was all on him. And if he made any move to escape, they would definitely block his path. They probably belonged to the person who took him here.

He was brought back from his musings when footsteps approached one of the doors that was linked with the room he was in. And then he saw him.

It was Ash!

A chill ran down his spine.

Drew had seen him in the picture that the employer had handed him, but to have the experience of seeing someone in person is something else, and he looked a little different from his picture because of his cold stoned expression. He was around Drew's age and of a same height. His raven hair and skin complexion had a well combination along with his features. The expression in his eyes seemed like something dark had happened to him. He might be a victim or brought it upon himself. Drew couldn't guess any more. His detection told him that this was a kind of character that could be easily feared...and couldn't be read, such persons can turn unpredictable or leap into action without giving anyone the slightest idea.

* * *

Giovanni couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment when he heard the newest person his subordinate had hired to track down Ash had gone missing as well. He was about to contact them but he did not. The period was over and it didn't look like that Drew would ever show up. So they had to give up their hopes on him.

"I can't believe it will turn out to be like this." A man in a lab coat, who was standing by the person who had hired Drew, said.

"Me neither." Giovanni responded.

"At first I thought, No one will be ready to subject themselves for an experiment like this. Not even for money." The man spoke again, "So it was a surprise when you got that volunteer for us to perform our experiments on him." he added.

"That boy was an utter bleeding heart..and a fool. His love for his Pikachu was his biggest weakness. It was easy for me to bend him against his will. Just a little manipulation and using Pikachu as a bait." Giovanni replied. "But I didn't know it would go like this."

"It is good that the operation didn't fail. If we could just had him restrained by then, this present circumstances would..." he sighed, "We were careless. We thought he died."

"That's what he was, he was dead." Giovanni pointed out. "Before we found out that our formula had actually worked even after the person's death."

"But all the formulas and documents have been destroyed by Ash that night."

"I sure remember that." Giovanni said.

"And he has also murdered the main scientist who was leading the experiments and one behind the formulas ." he added desperately.

"That's why I need Ash Ketchum in my grasp as he is the living proof of our success. He has no right to get away with it. I created him so I can use him. He can't change that." Giovanni admitted.

"So what's now?"

"Let me think." Giovanni said thoughtfully with a frown visible on his face, "Since that boy Drew is probably murdered too by now. We can't arrange anyone at this moment, it will be too early and draw suspicion from the locals. And I want it to be a secret."

"The locals already know about Ash's existence, he is feared among them as 'He who kills'."

"What a funny name." Giovanni let out an amused chuckle, "I am more dangerous than that 'He who Kills'. I've turned him into that frightening thing. The credit goes to me."

"Sure he won't come back to you on his own out of gratitude for that." One dared to say.

"So what? I will make him." Giovanni replied confidently.

* * *

Swallowing his discomfort, Drew stayed still on his seat, facing Ash who was busy picking on his food at the other side of the small table. There were so many rich varieties of dishes in front of him, but Drew had not touched any yet, he was just holding the fork. Most of the abductees would want nothing more than to stab their abductors with that fork and run for their lives. But Drew was one of those who don't do something that they will regret later. So no matter how uncomfortable he felt. He didn't bother to do anything stupid.

The worst part of the situation was that the radio Ash was listening to, was now playing a romantic song. The lyrics of the song was describing the mood of a couple on a date. And some of the lines had some meaning in it, at which Ash would stop chewing at his food and stare at Drew that made him uncomfortable. It was insufferable.

"People are going to notice that I am missing." Drew said after the silence was bothering him.

Ash looked at him, "They will, but they won't care."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't seem to be universally popular, neither you are obnoxious and loud enough to make the news of your disappearance. People don't value something that isn't important to them. The world doesn't care what happens to you." Ash replied.

"I have plenty of friends-'' Drew tried to argue.

"That doesn't matter, your friends are also people, they will probably declare you the victim of some foul play or write you off as a missing person before they get back to be busy with their lives. You will only live through their gossips." Ash said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because that's how they are, people!" Ash spat and Drew flinched at how he said the word 'people' with so much distaste.

"You don't like people do you?" Drew asked next but Ash didn't answer.

"You really dislike them." Drew repeated.

Ash let go off his fork and stared at Drew, "I don't dislike them, I HATE Them." He said with pure cruelness and vindictiveness in his voice that chilled Drew for a moment.

"So why me? Why are you punishing me solely for it?" Drew wanted to know.

"Because I can." Ash said coldly, Drew just stared at him in disbelief and puzzlement.

"Besides, You should feel lucky that you aren't already dead like my previous victims, even after I know that you have been sent after me by my enemy group. Instead of having you killed I am letting you live here as my guest." Ash said.

"Guest?!" Drew suppressed the urge of rolling his eyes, "You have me hostage!" he said.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you are still breathing, unlike the former ones. And that's what I call improvement." Ash said, he was amused to see how Drew's shoulders slumped in defeat and disappointment and a sad sigh escaped him.

Ash was standing in front of the sink. Busy washing the dishes when he felt someone's presence behind him.

"Let me help you with the dishes." Drew said lightly.

"I have been doing this for quite a while now, I don't need anyone's assistance. Don't show fake love." Ash said arrogantly before resuming his work and Drew tried his best not to grit his teeth, but his fists were already clenching.

He soon calmed himself, "I don't pretend what I don't feel. It's just.. it discomforts me when someone else is doing all the chores and I am just sitting." Drew said. There was no sign of mocking in his tone. It looked like he was simply wanting to help.

Ash stared at him for a moment before stepping aside, leaving Drew a space beside him. Drew took the place silently and for a next few moments they just concentrated on doing the dishes. When it was done. Drew decided to break the silence first.

"So what you want to do to me?" he asked, but there was no fear on his features.

"For now, nothing." Ash said cocking his head.

"But you can't keep me here forever. Sooner or later you will have to get rid of me, and the best way to do that is to kill me. So why not now?" he asked Ash.

"Why are you so desperate to die?" Ash asked.

"I just simply want to know that what will become of me. I can't live with this fear everyday that when you are going to finally kill me. If you are not letting me go, and killing me is also not your option, then what is it that you have in your mind?"

"You don't have to worry about that right now. You still have some time ahead of you, enjoy!" Ash said icily.

"And my pokeballs? You have my pokeballs." Drew said desperately.

"They are safe, besides I don't hurt pokemons, I have nothing against them." Ash said, "I just can't let you have them back right now since you will probably use them against me to get away from this place. And I am not in the mood of cat and mouse game." Ash said.

Before Drew could add something to that they were greeted by a pair of pokemons, Hoopa and Meloetta. Both mythical pokemons came to hug Ash. The raven haired boy knelt down to pat on their heads. For a moment he didn't look like the cold expressionless Ash anymore, a smile formed in his face and his eyes held a genuine fondness. Drew wondered if this was how he used to be before he changed.

These two pokemons were totally opposite of the combination of Ash's other two pokemons. Charizard and Greninja.

"They like you." Drew commented. He found himself drawn to the scene.

"Because pokemons can't hate." Ash responded softly.

The bedroom had only one middle sized bed. And it took Drew a moment to realize what he just heard when Ash told him that he was going to have to share the bed with him.

In a bed? With him?

Drew shook his head inwardly. He insisted at his best to convince Ash that he would better take the couch and that he would not run away but Ash didn't budge.

The thought of their bodies coming into contact during small movements on the bed in their sleep totally unnerved him. So in bed, Drew re-arranged the pillows, forming a barrier, so that he could be at a safe distance and it would make him feel like he was sleeping separately.

After Ash cuffed one of Drew's hands to the bed, he switched off the lights and took the other side of bed, not minding the bunker Drew had created with pillows that separated them from each other. Ash fell asleep immediately. But Drew was still up. He was watching the pretty moon through the window that was open. Sometimes the gentle breeze would invade the room and ruffle Drew's messy hair.

Drew sighed, just a few weeks ago, he was having a great outdoor adventure, camping in the woods with his friends in the night.

"Life is full of surprises." He whispered, mocking his own situation.

It was midnight, Drew felt a little drowsy but he immediately woke up when he heard a muffled sob behind him. He turned to his side on the bed, despite his cuffed hand he tried his best to look at what was going on.

It was Ash, he was sleep talking, or having a nightmare. He was clutching his pillow with such a force that it looked like it was going to be torn up.

"Pikachu...Don't die..don't die on me!" Ash was muttering in his dream.

After a few moments, Ash's muttering transformed into painful yelps. "You can't leave me...Pikachu..Don't leave me."

Drew blinked in surprise, something is wrong, he thought. And someone inside him felt a little sympathetic for him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Drew asked gently, reaching for Ash's shoulder with his free hand.

Suddenly, Ash's eyes shot open. He caught Drew's hand in vice grip. Drew grimaced in pain but hoped for the best, he hoped that Ash won't at least twist it.

"Ash.." he called his name desperately, and this was the first time he actually called by his name.

Ash then stepped out of his temporary dazed situation, after he was finally wide awake, he turned his face to see Drew. When he realised what he was doing, he let go off his hand immediately.

"Did I break it?" He asked.

"No I guess." Drew said as he used his teeth to pull up his sleeves to take a better look at his wrist. It seemed fine but Drew knew there would be bruises on it soon.

"It needs tending, it will be alright." Ash spoke as he got down from the bed and soon came with the necessary supplies.

Drew watched his wrist while Ash tended to it, and stole a few glances of Ash who was also doing the same. When the nursing was done, Ash backed away as he locked his eyes with Drew.

"Thank you." Drew said and turned his eyes to the wrist. He deliberately avoided Ash's gazes.

After a moment, Ash switched off the light again and fell on the bed by Drew's side.

"Go to sleep." he told Drew.

And Drew instantly followed the suggestion as the whole duration from previous night to now had been quite tiring. He closed his eyes, and then falling asleep...before Ash did.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ash checked all the possible needs he might need if the storm turned out to be more that what it looked like. The daylight faded with the clouds now covering the sky, there was also lightening and the noise sounded like someone was bombing down at the land from the sky. This was not going to be over so soon.

The electricity was not there to help either, so Ash was busy placing the candles everywhere to give the dark room some lights.

Meloetta and Hoopa were hugging each other in fear because of the sound of the thunder. While Charizard and Greninja were standing by Ash's sides waiting for their master's order.

Charizard had helped Ash to lit the candles with his fire. It seemed like Greninja was a little upset that with his water moves he couldn't do anything in helping Ash to lit the candles. As if he was jealous that this time Charizard was more useful than him. It felt like there had been a subtle rivalry going on between those two pokemons. Like they were trying to prove who was better.

Ash put a candle on the small coffee table in front of the sofa.

He was soon done with working on all of the candles. He spotted all over the place to make sure everything was taken care of before taking his seat by the side of his captive whom he had left bound on the sofa.

The greenette was sitting silently with his hands cuffed behind his back. He had not protested when Ash was putting those restraints on him. Ash was about to say something to him when the sound of another thunder striking came all too loud. Meloetta and Hoopa jumped out of their skin. Both pokemons rushed towards Ash for protection. They were really scared.

"It's not that bad, we are safe inside." Ash stated to assure them, but it didn't help much.

"Do you need something to drink?" Ash asked Drew.

Drew seemed absent minded but he quickly replied, "No..nothing." His voice was a mere whisper and he didn't remove his stare from the ground.

"Is there something bothering you?" Ash asked next.

At his words, Drew turned his eyes on him but didn't say anything. His stare was empty.

"Do you hate me too? Like you hate other people?" Drew asked him suddenly. His eyes didn't change the expression. It was still blank.

Ash found himself at a loss of words. He couldn't answer the question.

For a moment both males sat in silence with their eyes locked but then Drew turned his eyes away to the ground again with a sigh.

Ash opened his mouth to state something but then he sensed something. He jumped on his feet startling Drew for a bit and went straight to the window that was half open. He saw a girl outside in the distance. A brunette with her Beautifly. They seemed like they were not prepared for the storm and got caught on their way. They were now standing under a tree.

Ash frowned at the sight. Something was off about them. They were acting suspicious. The girl was staring at the direction of the place where Ash was. As if the girl knew something and had chosen this spot to wait on purpose.

"People! They are never trustworthy." Ash growled under his breath as his eyes flared up.

"What's wrong?" Ash heard Drew's voice behind him and whirled around in stunned surprise to see him standing close.

Then Drew's eyes watched something over Ash's shoulder.

"May!"

Ash heard Drew blurted out in shock. Surprise was written all over Drew's face as his eyes were widened.

But because of that sudden surprise Drew's voice had come out as loud. And it was only for Ash's quick reflexes that prevented Drew from finishing his words.

Ash grabbed Drew by his neck and overpowered him, dragging Drew with him to the bedroom where he practically threw the green haired lad on the bed sheets.

Drew braced himself on his lower back and tried to sit up. His cuffed hands were a big obstacle, but right now that was the least of his worries.

"Who is that girl?" Ash demanded in a voice that anyone in Drew's place would have wet their pants already.

Drew cursed himself inwardly for the slip of his tongue.

"I..I...don't know her." Drew said in a tone that didn't sound too convincing to Ash.

"You are lying." Ash said as he now closed the door behind him and came closer to the bed, shooting angry stares at Drew. His murderous glare sent a chill down Drew's spine but he did try his best to reason him out.

"You called her May, so you know her, what is she doing here?" Ash asked.

"I just know her name, she's only a friend of mine.." Drew lied, he kept his voice steady. "Her presence here must be a coincidence. Trust me, she doesn't know anything. Please don't do anything to her." Drew pleaded.

Drew found Ash towering over him once again, "I am not a fool." Ash said, "Murdering her would serve no purpose. But if she knows that you are here, and she herself turns out to be a threat, then I won't hesitate."

Drew blinked, his heart sank, "She doesn't know where I am..just a colleague of mine that I share some of my personal details with. But trust me, she won't be a problem to you. I can assure that." Drew said hoping Ash would believe him.

"Fine." Ash said after a while. "But remember, if you are playing with me behind my back don't think you can make it work for longer than this, I may not acknowledge it right away but nothing escapes my observation in the long run." Ash warned.

Drew immediately turned his stare to the ground, "You can trust me." He said.

**Flashback**

"How can that be possible," Giovanni growled, "You were supposed to turn him into a supernatural being so that I can use him for my illegal operations. But his death ruined everything." He shook the main scientist violently before throwing him on the ground.

"It is not my fault. Sometimes the experiments do fail." The scientist said from the ground.

"Give my coroner friend a call, tell him to visit me immediately. Have Ash's corpse checked, I want to know what happened." Giovanni ordered.

Shortly after the coroner arrived, he and Giovanni visited the room, where the dead boy was lying.

The coroner checked carefully but frustratingly he could not detect the cause of death.

"He seemed perfectly alright. As if nothing wrong had happened to his body but he sure is dead." He informed Giovanni.

"I don't care, he means no use to me right now..oh, how many currencies I have spent for this particular experiment." Giovanni said in an annoyed tone, he looked devastated.

"So what's now?" the coroner asked.

"I have to get rid of the body." Giovanni announced. "But I can't just dump it. His disappearance will cause problems since people have seen him with me. I want the news of his death to make public in such a way that people don't suspect me. Just make it look like as if it was brought on him by himself and that I have nothing to do with his death. Thus my image will stay clear and I don't have to worry for a risky aftermath." He added.

"Can you do it?" Giovanni asked.

"Of course I can, or what else do you pay me for?" the coroner said with a creepy smile.

"Thanks, I hope you will make us all get rid of this situation as soon as possible." He said to the coroner.

"I got it." The coroner assured.

At the country hospital,

Two workers were mopping the floor of the morgue, joking about how one of them had seen Arceus and wanted to capture it, knowing that it will be difficult.

The other mocked about how many legendaries he had seen in a few weeks.

Their topic was cheerful and so were their moods.

They were about to finish and leave gathering their stuffs, when one of them stopped dead on his tracks and turned to face the other, his face looked like as if he had seen a ghost.

"What?" the other person said.

"Did you hear it?" the former asked.

"What?" the latter questioned with a frown.

"There was a knock on one of the drawers."

"You know that is impossible, they are corpses, no way they will be knocking right?"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Both persons jumped out of their skin.

"What is it?"

"I don't know and I don't want to know. I am not staying here." the person who had heard the sound first declared, before running out.

The other person looked like he wanted to investigate but lost his all interest when the door to the drawer burst open, two blazing orb like eyes stared at him from inside the drawer that was now open and then the metal tray started sliding out.

The person went pale and ran for the doors not even stopping to catch his breath.

"Now it is done." The middle aged scientist said with a cruel, power-hungry smile on his face after he inserted some foreign substance in the body of an unconscious pokemon that was strapped to a metal bed.

"It will become stronger and it will be mind controlled, do anything that we want." He said before the other two team-rocket staffs nodded to him in agreement and took the pokemon away with them.

"Doctor, are you coming too?" the two team rocket members asked.

"No go without me, I will be there soon." The scientist said and waved.

After the two left, the scientist went to his other room, he was alone in his private study now and was collecting his things, straightening his documents, he still couldn't believe his experiment on that boy actually failed. He was the best scientist the team rocket organisation could ever have, and as he was equally greedy, evil, corrupted and full of unacceptable madness like Giovanni, a single failure was really frustrating to overcome for him. Giovanni will get tired of him if he keeps failing and soon kick him out, hiring someone else in his position.

He was so invested in his musings that he couldn't hear the phone when it was ringing. But when he heard it he walked up to it immediately and picked it up.

"What's it?" he asked.

He heard the voice of one of those team rocket staffs who had just left him.

"Doctor, there's a person with glowing eyes outside your lab. It's...ohhh sh"

The phone line was cut off.

"What?"

The scientist was totally shocked and scared.

He stood there glued to the spot, as if he was nothing more than just a painted figure of some picture. His heart beating...

Glowing eyes! He thought.

Then the light of his room was cut off.

All colour drained from his face at then.

He didn't make it too far when he heard someone's breathing... someone was there...

In there.

He whirled around only to find himself face to face with the boy who was pronounced dead by Giovanni's coroner ally.

Giovanni got called in the scene too when a legal investigation had to be followed. The dead scientist was a shocking news, but Giovanni didn't seem all heart broken.

The mad scientist's corpse was alright except for the head...it was snapped back.

"Oh my gosh!" one of the examiners say while examining Giovanni's dead scientist friend.

"What?" Giovanni asked.

"The pressure that the killer had put on this person was unbelievable...oh my.. it is a surprise that the doctor's head is not detached from his body or hanging loosely like a half-severed petal."

"What do you mean?" Giovanni asked.

"I mean, whoever the killer is, had to be ten times stronger than a normal human." The person informed.

"Ten times stronger..." Giovanni's eyes sparked with hope and amusement, "Could it be Ash ketchum?" he thought. "So he isn't dead!"

Giovanni took no notice of the corpse any more as he came out of the spot with a satisfied smile plastered on his face.

"It has to be Ash, he must have somehow faked death and has returned, it has to be him. He has come last night here for revenge."

"Sir." Giovanni heard someone addressed him and he immediately stepped out of his thought, he turned around, a man who was working there came to talk.

"Two other people are also dead. We discovered their cadavers outside." He said and showed Giovanni the photos of the corpses they took for investigation.

The dead bodies were wearing civil clothes but Giovanni could recognise their faces, they are Giovanni's subordinates, members of team rocket. They were not identified by the investigators only because they had not been wearing their team rocket uniform when they got killed. Giovanni had ordered those two to act as a helper for the late doctor. But all three of them are now in afterlife. Looks like Ash did a job well done. And seemed like the captured pokemon they were supposed to bring to Giovanni had been freed by Ash.

Giovanni started to think, with his main scientist gone, he was at a loss. And when he came here he was told that the scientist's death was not the only thing. Someone had burnt down his lab, when Giovanni went to check, he realised that all the important documents especially those formulas were all destroyed by the fire.

"Ash ketchum! you will pay, but you will pay by doing exactly what I want." he thought to himself.

He was getting bored by his obsession with running experiments on pokemons only. He wanted to try something new. Something with the humans, and Ash was the perfect option.

Giovanni had manipulated that kid into believing that he was a nice person, but he was a little careless. Ash had found out about his true colours soon and wanted to rebel against him, stop him from performing atrocities. So Giovanni had to silence him.

At first he thought he could kill him, but on the same time he had plotted to use human as an experiment. He had successfully framed Ash of theft, of stealing other people's pokeballs, which were actually stolen by Giovanni's men under his instructions and being stored at Ash's room without his knowledge. When Ash got caught - in reality falsely accused - no person did believe him, all those he called his friends turned their backs on him, accusing him, knowing it well that Ash wouldn't do such a vile thing. The commoners, the people, whom Ash had helped many times, cornered him, forced him down an empty well along with his Pikachu and threw stones at them. Ash was easily injured while guarding Pikachu. But soon he got exhausted, their roles reversed, Pikachu took the place to guard him, even sending massive electric shocks but the crowd was all too much, and the poeple had their pokemons out to easily block that yellow electric rat's attacks.

That very day, Pikachu was wounded from a previous battle Ash had had with an unnamed trainer. And he didn't have the time to rush to Nurse Joy as the chaos took place un-announced.

When Pikachu couldn't take any more, bleeding, it had collapsed on Ash's feet.

Then Giovanni's coroner friend whom Ash never met before, had showed up, obviously under Giovanni's instruction. He had led Ash to team rocket's base, saying that he would save Pikachu but when the boy noticed everything and got suspicious. He was being forced into go through the experiments against his will if he wanted Pikachu back, of course fake promises, in which ruthless decisive people like Giovanni were good at.

Giovanni wanted to make Ash a monster, so that he could use him as his lapdog, thus gaining dual satisfaction.

But like that...

Ash passed away...

Only to return as undead.

And now...

Ash might think that with killing the scientist, one villain is less from his target list, but he had to go through a lot to actually reach his main enemy, Giovanni.

And he had to know, that his Pikachu is waiting somewhere for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**chapter 4**

END Of **Flashback**...

.

The next day seemed to be quite clean and comfortable. No rain, no storm anymore. The day was ordinarily quiet and simple. The unpleasant weather was gone.

Ash stood by the patio, he allowed Drew to be there too. Ash didn't really want to keep him locked all day.

As long as Ash had Drew's pokeballs, he knew Drew wouldn't run away. So he didn't mind letting Drew wander off in the house freely. They also shared a long evening conversation before Ash headed inside not minding leaving Drew alone in the place.

Drew was holding the switchblade that Ash had presented him to use to peel the berries. It was sharp enough to murder someone. People held hostage against their will would have already preferred trying that switchblade against their captors. Maybe Drew would've preferred that too, but he knew that there's no way one could do much with that switchblade against someone like Ash, who possesses the strength to crush cellphones in his palms. Besides, after staying with Ash for so long, he was feeling emotionally connected to him. So Drew didn't feel like he would ever wish to use anything against Ash.

"What is that? Am I suffering from Stockholm syndrome?" Drew shook his head at the mere thought.

"Impossible!" he said to himself to soothe that uncertain feeling that was making him restless.

Sighing, Drew leaned on the wooden railing. They were in the place surrounded by woods. There was a small lake that Drew could now see from the uncovered area. The full moon's reflection was on the water. And its light was glistening on the surface making it more beautiful, Drew was drawn to the beauty of that sight for a moment before his eyes caught something's movement, or someone's movement.

Shadow of a person.

A man was slowly reaching to something with a net in his hands. Drew spotted a sleeping Lilligant at a distance, just a few feet away from the man.

The scene looked suspicious because why on the Earth would someone use a net to capture a pokemon, a sleeping one. This is not how trainers capture their desired pokemons.

Then Drew's eyes caught something that made the scenario obvious. Silver coloured linings!

A cage!

A cage was placed near the lake, probably from where the man had started to approach the sleeping grass pokemon.

This guy is a pokemon hunter! Who capture and sell pokemons for money. Drew had heard about many of those gut wrenching stories, about the mishandling of pokemons and the pure cruelness that these pokemon hunters make the captured pokemons go through.

A displeased frown appeared in Drew's face. He doesn't like poking nose into other people's business but this was downright disgusting.

Drew flipped open the switchblade in his hand that Ash had given to him.

The pokemon hunter couldn't stop his cruel smirk as he was too close to capture the pokemon. He would earn good money on this one! He thought.

Just when he was so close to throw the net, he felt human fingers wrap around his throat tightly from behind all of a sudden, he immediately dropped the net, startled. Something sharp was also being pressed at his back at the same time.

"A knife!" He said in shock and fear.

"Yes, I will stab it right through your back into the lungs." Came Drew's cold - flat voice.

"Don't kill me, take my money instead." The man said offering Drew his wallet.

"I don't need the money, I want you to leave right now, without causing any nuisance." Drew said in a low threatening voice, pressing the blade a little harder.

"Okay fine, let me take the net, I am leaving." The man said, he bent down to take the net but then all of a sudden, he whirled around and tried to throw the net on Drew's face.

Drew had guessed it, he immediately jumped backwards before landing on his feet.

"You are just a kid, you can't win against me." The man said in his best intimidating tone, staring down the young lad, smirking cruelly.

Drew's pose was a little bent forward, his mouth pressed in a thin line, and he had that angry determined frown, the blade shone in his right hand, and he seemed prepared to counter any attack the man would try to deliver. And because of his calm and calculative expression, it didn't seem like he was buying any of those threatening words coming from that man either.

"Soon I will be done with you, and abduct this little cutie to sell it to someone who will pay me a large amount of money." That man spat. He was not that threatening by his physique but it didn't look like he was addressing about himself.

Drew realised that there was another one. A second person came out of the bush to join the previous man. This one was tall, masculine, quite strong built.

"Help me get rid of this kid." The first person said.

That heavy man rushed towards Drew, probably to crush him. Drew was not massively skilled in combats but he knew a few moves, but the problem is, this man was quite heavy and couldn't be taken down easily. Drew could win against some competent opponents but not against someone who has the size of a mountain. At least not that easily.

But there was no time to waste.

"Today isn't my lucky day." Drew thought as he barely missed the first punch. He decided to use his dodgy tactics since direct force won't do much to this guy. But Drew was a little careless third time, probably because his adrenaline was crushing.

Drew thought he wouldn't get up from the ground as the third punch came in contact with his body almost with a skull-breaking force.

But magically, it didn't hurt. It didn't do any damage to Drew. Instead, it was his attacker, holding his own hand, yelping in pain.

"I don't think I am made of steel." Drew thought, he was stunned by the unexpected developments of the situation.

"This boy can't be human, I felt like I just punched a rock." The guy who attacked Drew said.

"Eh..if he's that strong to humans, let's see how strong he is to pokemons." The first person said, "I will love to see you battle my Abomasnow you little brat." The man spat letting out his pokeball, but he hardly had the time to throw the pokeball before Charizard and Greninja pinned the both men down.

Drew turned around in suspicion to see if Ash was around, but he wasn't there. Seemed like these two pokemons were out and saw everything then decided to help.

"Thanks." Drew said flashing a relieved and grateful smile.

Charizard nodded to him and gestured for him to pass some commands about what to do next since Ash wasn't present there to be in charge.

"You want instructions from me?" Drew asked, to which both Greninja and Charizard nodded.

Drew turned his eyes on the people pinned down on the ground.

"It's not that I am sympathetic to these people after what they tried to do to that innocent pokemon," Drew said glaring down, "But this heavenly place should not be defiled with such people's blood."

"Just throw them out of this forest and threat them to never come back." he told the pokemons.

The smaller person who was pinned down by Greninja seemed to be a cunning one. He let out a stun gun when no one was noticing, he tried to use the electric weapon on that water-type.

"That's the most stupidest trick I have ever seen someone to pull." Drew said as he twisted that man's arm behind his back. Drew kept it light, but seemed like, to that man, the force was so much, the stun gun fell from the man's hand and he yelped in pain.

"You people are the reasons why some pokemons can't trust us...and why they never will."

Charizard flapped his wings, that pokemon secured the heavier person in his grip, then soon flew with him to drop him out of the forest.

While Greninja dragged the other person behind him. Seemed like Greninja was angry at the man, maybe because that man had the audacity to think that a small stun gun would defeat a pokemon like him.

With the both pokemons gone, Drew turned to look at the Lilligant, who was now wide awake and was staring at him. For a moment Drew thought it will run away since this is what most of the pokemons do when they find a stranger standing over them upon waking up from a deep nap. But this Lilligant didn't show the signs of doing that.

Suddenly, two other pokemons emerged from the forest, a Flabebe and a Floette. They rushed to Lilligant's side with concern. But after Lilligant explained to them about what had happened, they turned their eyes to Drew flashing him a thankful expression.

The Lilligant came towards Drew, and to show her gratitude she did spin around a little then finishing it with a bow. Then she released some pink petals, forming them in a spiral row before the petals came dancing and falling all over the place.

"You remind me of someone." Drew said as the image of his signature pokemon flashed in his mind, "I have a grass pokemon too you know." He said.

"I wish, I could let her meet you." Drew said with his eyes softened towards the pokemon before him.

The Flabebe and Floette, who were staring at the scene, suddenly rushed to something behind Drew.

Drew turned around to find Ash.

Drew tensed and took a step back. He had sneaked out without Ash's permission. And He didn't know how he would explain the situation to him.

The Floette and Flabebe greeted Ash with a friendly approach. Ash seemed to know them.

Well, it was not a news to Drew that those pokemons and Ash turned out to be knowledgeable about each other. Ash has told him that how he switches between his selected spots of preferred locations, it means, he has stayed in this place before, and during that time the pokemons living in the wilderness have come to visit him, since Ash is always good to pokemons, so this is not uncommon that those wild pokemons have befriended him.

Ash greeted back the pokemons, his smile was cheerful and friendly. But then he slowly turned his face to Drew and his eyes changed expression, it then held that dominating stare.

"Ash, I didn't mean to run away, there was a -" Drew tried to explain but he was cut off.

"Don't you think the moon is beautiful?" Ash asked suddenly turning his head to the moon that looked like a round, fair, shining porcelain dish.

"What? Uh..yes.." Drew replied, a little confused.

Ash walked up to the lake, and seated himself on the grass near the water, he patted the space beside him, gesturing for Drew to take the place.

Drew, still a little stunned, decided to accept the offer and seated himself next to Ash.

The Floette, Flabebe and the grass pokemon Lilligant had decided to return to their hiding place, they vanished in the forest, leaving Ash and Drew there.

They sat in silence – in Drew's words – awkward silence.

"Look at that!" Ash suddenly said, and Drew looked up following Ash's gaze.

A Cresselia was passing by, flying in the air, in front of the moon.

And for a moment, both Drew and Ash could just stare at that pokemon.

That pokemon was a true beauty. So colourful and magnificent, and those shining particles the pokemon was leaving behind her, in a line, on the sky while flying, was making the scene even more captivating.

"So pretty!" Drew exclaimed.

"Yes." Ash said, his eyes were sparkling with genuine adoration for the pokemon, and Drew noticed it. At a time like this, Ash's persona totally took a one eighty degree turn of what he usually showed himself to be.

"Ash," Drew called, his voice made the ravenette turn to him.

"You love pokemon, not just simple love, you are purely invested in them, I can see that." Drew stated.

"You are a good human being Ash." Drew said softly.

"Don't call me that.." a sudden flare flashed up in Ash's eyes, "Don't call me human, I prefer the word ex-human." He snapped angrily.

Ash stared at Drew with that angry, hate-filled gaze at that mere word. That constant distaste for people. That seemed to be now his default feelings.

Drew didn't choose to respond, he knew saying anything to him right now will only add fuel to the fire.

"Okay." Drew said with an apologetic tone. He turned his eyes back to the sky after a moment.

"Let's get inside." Ash said.

"Huh..already?" Drew asked. He was feeling a little bit hopeful that Ash might let him stay in that beautiful place for a little longer.

The wind was very comforting, the open area was providing the taste of a little freedom, and the moon was so bright and big. Drew wanted to relax a little more there. Such scenario was always his favourite.

But Ash stood up and pulled Drew along with him. He started to lead Drew back to the house.

"Um..Charizard and Greninja are still there." Drew informed, pointing his thumb in the direction behind him.

"They will come back...besides, they are not my captives." Ash said as he forced Drew to keep going.

They soon reached the doorstep, and Ash took time to open it.. he pushed Drew inside but mistakenly caught his bruised wrist...and Drew instantly let out a startled, painful "Ow".

Ash took notice of what happened and released his hold on him. He then grabbed Drew by the shoulder, not too harshly, then dragged him inside.

Drew's fate was always full of unexpected events. Tonight was a very chilling one. And Ash ordered Drew to get in the blanket with him.

A very not so welcoming thought was trying to cross his mind which he did his best to shake away.

Drew didn't protest to Ash's order. Not because of Ash's stern expression. Because he was feeling really cold and didn't want to waste time objecting since it won't work either.

Even in the blanket, Drew was still shivering. He wrapped his hands around himself, trying to bring some warmth in his body. Then he felt Ash's hand slipped around him as he tightened his hold on him and pulled him closer and let him lean on him. That may seem a little something, but Drew could feel that Ash simply wanted to help him with the cold.

"Should I bring you something hot to drink?"

"No, it's alright!" Drew assured. He didn't want Ash to do extra task because of him.

Ash tightened his hold. Tried his best to make Drew feel warm.

Drew closed his eyes as he was now leaning further down. His head resting on Ash's lap. The ravenette didn't seem to mind. He found himself patting slowly on Drew's head...Then like a shock going through veins...something flashed in Ash's mind.

The image of him and Pikachu. Sitting, grabbing each other in cold. They were always there for each other in every situation. They were soul mates. They have sworn to never leave each other no matter what.

But now...

Ash looked in front of him. A tear escaped his eye before he could stop it, and it dropped on Drew's face.

The other boy immediately opened his eyes when he felt it. With concern, he sat up as he saw Ash wiping his eyes.

"Ash!" Drew whispered his name sympathetically, holding his fingers around his.

No matter how uncomfortable it was to watch Ash's piercing glare whenever he's angry and dangerous. Seeing him so sad and vulnerable like this didn't feel good to Drew either.

"Something inside you is hurting you." Drew said.

He knew Ash was carrying the burden of something that was suffocating him from inside. And he would definitely feel better once he shares it with someone. That's one way to empty a heavy heart.

"My past." Ash said.

Drew kept staring at his face as Ash proceeded to tell him everything about all the ordeals he had gone through.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Ash was finished telling everything to Drew, he could see the heartbroken expression in that boy's eyes. Maybe Ash's past was more horrific than Drew could think.

"That's so unfair." Drew muttered. He knew that the world can be so hollow and cruel but he didn't expect it to turn out like this.

"The people I thought to be my friends were the first to turn their backs on me, not just that, they chose to participate in tormenting me." Ash said. His voice heavy.

"Sometimes the worst strike comes from the nearest one." Drew stated. He was now feeling really bad for him, that he had to endure such repulsive actions from both foes and friends.

Ash gave an affirmative nod to what Drew said . "Yes , nobody can be trusted."

A thought suddenly crossed Drew's mind and he suggested.

"What if your Pikachu is not dead Ash."

his words made the other one turn to him.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you have not seen Pikachu's body with your own eyes, like you mentioned. He was still breathing before they pushed you inside the machine. Maybe Pikachu is sti -"

"That's impossible," Ash said with sadness in his eyes.

"I had thought it too Drew. I was desperate to get him back when I woke up inside that freezer and broke out of morgue. But he wasn't there. And those thugs couldn't tell me anything. I believe Pikachu just passed away -" Ash said trying not to choke at the line, "And they threw him at someplace else. I have searched for him everywhere like a maniac. It didn't work. I finally had no choice but to let go of the false hopes and accept the painful fate of living without him." He clutched the blanket in his hands. Tears coming out from his eyes.

"...but," he continued, "I will avenge his death..surely." Ash said.

Drew noted how his voice became ferocious again towards the end. His eyes switched back to that former blank expression, and his face seemed determined.

"I have been hunting them down, one by one, whoever had participated directly or indirectly to bring me down." Ash added next.

"Have you" Drew paused, "..killed a lot of people?"

Ash slowly nodded.

"They were all bad people." He said to Drew.

* * *

Hunter J was told to wait in the large room, that Giovanni would immediately arrive there to see her, he's now busy in a meeting.

"Eh..meeting!" J had chuckled inwardly to herself at the mere thought of meeting. Of course Giovanni's meeting is nothing but plotting atrocities on pokemons. He seizes pokemons illegally. He had a plenty of legendaries captives before they got rescued by that Ashy boy. J mused and smirked at how that kid had caused trouble for Giovanni in the past but not more than now.

She herself never bothered to think about pokemons, feelings, friendships, true bonds. Those things were meaningless to her. She preferred her own income which she got from having her hands dirtied by running multiple illegal operations. She was one of the most notorious pokemon hunters in Sinnoh before she became widely feared and rose to power with the help of Giovanni, of course she had paid her own share in this event, since Giovanni won't help other ruthless villains like him without getting help in return.

J was so good at being a merciless hunter. She helped Giovanni getting the pokemons he wished to have and lordship over. It never mattered to her if she had to go too far to bend a situation for her own will that would leave a harsh effect on the lives of many innocent pokemons and humans. She was simply being a happy villainess. She appears, she hunts pokemons, she sells them to her clients and disappears. And then the cycle would continue.

The door to the J's room was suddenly opened as Giovanni's massive, tall figure stood there, his Persian was beside him. But J's attention was at the other pokemon.

A Heatran, J noticed, it had to be the same Heatran J had captured with her machine. That pokemon was so stubborn, and J had to go through a lot to finally fire that immobilising beam at it then freezing it into a stony statue. J hated stubborn pokemons, they always made her waste more time than usual.

There was a massive controlling device or gear that attached to Heatran's head. Giovanni already had the pokemon under control, so that it couldn't rebel against him for its freedom. Mind controlling the pokemons was the only experiment of that mad scientist which didn't foil things for everyone. It was his last experiment before Ash took his life after what he did to him and Pikachu.

"Welcome J." Giovanni greeted, but his tone held no friendly gesture, nor any hospitality.

That annoying Persian was staring at J as if it was Team Rocket's boss too.

"I must admit, your help did save me from a lot of extra works." Giovanni added.

"Oh that's nothing, as long as I am getting paid, I can keep capturing even more dangerous pokemon than this." J assured.

The pair seated themselves and a conversation started.

"I have some news about the current state of Ash ketchum." J got back to business talk.

"Yes, he's making our lives hell, he needs to be restrained, also the boy we have sent after him is murdered, but his body isn't found yet." Giovanni muttered addressing Drew.

"That's because he is alive." J said and like she expected there was shock on Giovanni's face.

"What?! That boy is not dead?" Giovanni asked puzzled.

J gave him an affirmative nod.

"Ash never spared any spy we did send after him before." Giovanni stated in bewilderment.

"Who knows what goes through an individual's mind. I have sent one of my subordinates, under disguise, to hire a master-detective named May. She had provided us a lot of information." J said as she placed a picture before Giovanni on his desk.

The picture showed Ash and an unconscious Drew, on a Charizard's back.

"What's going on? Where is this guy now?" Giovanni asked.

"Maybe he is held against his will by Ash."

"Why would Ash do that? Why would he make such an exception this time? He always finishes off his victims."

"Like I said, we can't know what goes through someone's head." J said.

"Whatever! Make sure that the detective doesn't get any idea about who is she actually working for. I have also said the same to the subordinate I sent to hire Drew for tracking that monster down. We can't let our secret be revealed in public." Giovanni warned.

"I know, that won't be a problem. And if May somehow gets to know who we are, I already have plans how to eliminate her without causing extra chaos." J said flashing a smirk that was equally cruel as Giovanni's.

* * *

When Drew woke up, he found that Ash had already left, maybe to take care of some business.

It was a little confusing since Ash wouldn't go anywhere leaving his captive to roam around freely.

He sat up, and found Meloetta and Hoopa there, waiting to be discovered by him.

"Did Ash tell you guys to watch over me?" he asked the pair, but the pokemons shook their heads in disagreement.

"So you are here on your own." He said next, to which they nodded.

"Where is he?" Drew wanted to know but the pokemons only gave him a look of unawareness. Maybe they weren't involved in Ash's business. It were supposed to be Greninja and that fearsome Charizard only.

"Can you two help me with one thing?" Drew asked them.

The two pokemons exchanged a look before meeting Drew's eyes.

"I have to have my pokeballs back, I want to help him, I hope you two also know what had happened to him?" Drew asked.

They may not be in any of Ash's revenge operations but maybe they know the story of his past.

At his words, Meloetta and Hoopa lowered their gazes, they seemed sad and the answer Drew wanted was written all over their faces.

So they know!

"You guys have to help me, I need my pokemons. What if just like Ash, Pikachu had also survived, and is out there somewhere, searching for him. There is always a second opportunity, I just want to give that opportunity another try." Drew said.

Meloetta came floating to him, and held his hands for a brief moment, trying to mutter something, but then she suddenly rushed out of the room taking Hoopa with her.

Drew just sat there confused. After a few minutes, both pokemons entered the room again, this time holding Drew's pokeballs.

* * *

Serena stopped by the row of shops that had awnings at the front shade.

There were restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and other stuffs.

Some restaurants had their luncheon area outside. She liked such restaurants for the outdoor sittings under the sky. It was fun for her.

She had seated herself by one of the tables, with her Sylveon and Mawile. There were a few others as well.

Serena's favourite hobby was to watch people and their pokemons. She had been a pokemon specialist. And not just that, she was obsessed with pokemons and their nature.

Her mouth curved in a smile as she watched those pokemons before her.

They were simply adorable.

A couple with their Meowstic duo , were sitting by one of the tables in the front row. A few feet away from them was a fat, middle sized lady in hat and coat, standing over a nearby jewellery shop with her matron trimmed Furfrou. Next to them was a little girl, between Gothorita and Gothitelle, waiting behind her mother, in front of an ice cream stand to receive her treat. She seemed to be growing impatient with the ice cream guy working lazily on her favourite cone. A tomboyish, short-haired female pair was sitting by the fountain, feeding snacks to their Purugly and Lopunny.

Then Serena's eyes slipped on a person, a boy, raven haired. He was walking with a Greninja behind him. Something about him seemed off, maybe because of his facial expression. He seemed like he was returning from someplace where he had given away his soul. He was walking mechanically with his pokemon following him.

After watching them for a while, something inside her took the next decision for her and Serena couldn't help but rise from her seat to go after him.

Ash was keeping his pace slow but steady. His mind full of different thoughts. He had told Drew last night that he didn't kill any innocent yet, but that doesn't mean he can get away with killing.

As for Drew, Ash had felt that his captive had become sympathetic of him, he had grown some attachment to him for sure, but he didn't want Drew to advocate a killer like him just because he had fallen victim to that tragedy. He can't force him to encourage murder.

Drew wasn't like those shallow and petty ones, whom Ash hated. And he didn't feel like he would ever like to see Drew go. The world was full of deceit, and Ash didn't want Drew to experience the ugly side of it like he did. With him, he would be safe.

Also, that particular night in the woods, Ash had secretly witnessed the event with Drew and the pokemon hunters, and he had realised one thing by then. That Somehow, with that bite, he had transmitted some of his own powers in Drew. Like an influential virus, that bite seemed to have slowly infected him. It may sound like the vampire species thing, but it wasn't that. Ash doesn't suck blood nor he lives on human fluid. He was more like a half-human, half-demon creature. And He was not bothered by the fact that Drew had inherited his demonic ability, he just wasn't sure how the other boy would see it.

Suddenly, Ash felt a tap on his shoulder. Immediately stepping out of all of his musings, half curious and half cautious, he whirled around to face the person behind him.

* * *

Drew looked happily over the pokemons dining all together, Meloetta and Hoopa seemed to be very friendly and they quickly befriended Drew's pokemons and shared food with them. Ash had not returned yet, but Drew was sure that he would soon arrive from nowhere, like always. So he had to hurry.

Making up his mind, he walked over to his Gardevoir.

"I think I need your assistance once again Gardevoir. This is urgent." he said, his shiny Zoroark also joined them by Gardevoir's side.

"You have to track down a lost pokemon, we don't even know if we can possibly find it alive, but I want to hope for the positive. Since I can't leave this place, escaping or ditching Ash right now will only make him mad at me, and he needs someone by his side, so I am afraid I can't go this time with you." Drew said with an apologetic tone.

Gardevoir put her one hand on his shoulder trying to assure the boy that they can understand the problem. There was never a single day when Drew wasn't there to assist them. Whatever the situation was, like a trainer and his pokemons they had helped each other.

Gardevoir turned to Zoroark and they exchanged a few words in their language.

Meloetta and Hoopa had heard the conversation, but they decided not to reveal it to Ash at this moment. If Drew and his pokemons become successful with their mission, and Pikachu really gets found out alive then it will add a huge comfort to Ash's current miserable state. And maybe he will then stop living this life and get back to a normal human life.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"What? What do you want?" Ash asked angrily to the girl who stopped him. She was accompanied by a Sylveon and a Mawile.

His Greninja was glancing between those two pokemons.

Just what does this girl needs? Ash thought. Is she a random stranger? Or someone Ash has to get rid off by finishing her off? Ash always follows the safety measures whenever eliminating his targets, he appears from nowhere and vanishes like a ghost when the job is done without revealing his presence. But there are always some risks. Some will pose as threats and Ash knows how to take care of such threats.

Ash took a closer look of that girl, she was honey coloured blonde and extremely pretty. Any boy would compete to win her heart and love. Ash was never so excited around women, he was very oblivious to things like love-romance-cuteness. And he never cared about anything than Pikachu, who meant the whole world to him. With Pikachu gone and him being changed into a beast was now his only world, until he met that boy.

Drew's image briefly flashed in his mind, and that made him impatient. He had to hurry and return to his hideout. Though he had a positive feeling that Drew wouldn't run away, at least not without his pokeballs, and even if he found them he would still not ditch Ash. Ash didn't know why he felt so sure about it but he knew he wasn't wrong. Even so, he had to hurry to see if everything was okay there. Meloetta and Hoopa had volunteered themselves to watch over Drew when he was leaving, Ash knew those two pokemons were not ferocious enough to stop him if he tried to escape, but he knew there wouldn't be any need of it. Drew was not leaving.

And now, the first thing he had to do was to know what this girl had in her mind.

"I saw you, and I can tell something is bothering you." She said.

"None of your concern." Ash replied. He didn't want to sound rude but the words came out of his mouth too loud, but it seemed like the girl didn't mind, she just flashed a polite smile and angled her head. Her eyes held a genuine kindness which stopped Ash from thinking anything threatening of her.

"I am Serena, a pokemon specialist, and my job partly requires reading the trainers. I can tell both you and your Greninja seem miserably unhappy and in a desperate need of help." She said but that was half true, she knew exactly what she saw in them, they looked soulless. As if they were robots, mechanical and emotionless. But that boy's eyes, and looking at them right now, Serena could feel that this guy needed help or he would fall into even a more miserable state. He was alive but he wasn't living.

"There is something that eating you from inside." She said to Ash.

"I am not interested in your babbling." Ash said and was about to turn.

"I know my fault, this street is not a place for such conversation. But it's my bad habit to run into people who need help and then trying to help them." she said.

"Then help PEOPLE! I don't need help from anyone." Ash said.

Serena sighed, she knew she had come off as an annoying preacher, but she simply wanted to help. She cared for those who need it.

"Well in that case, we are done, but I am still hoping that you will change your mind. Here's my card. Please visit me when you feel ready, you don't lack potential as a good listener." She said and winked. She held out a small pink card to him, which Ash received in curiosity.

"I will wait patiently, just let me know. I like to help." She said as she bowed and turned around.

Ash watched her leave.

Weird girl!

Ash's first choice was to tear up the card and trash it in the nearest dustbin, but someone inside him told him not to. He shrugged to himself and put the card inside his pocket.

"Let's go Greninja." He said to his pokemon and started walking.

* * *

Gardevoir and Zoroark had left, and Drew wanted nothing more than to join them, but he couldn't. He felt so guilty that he had to send his pokemons in a mission without joining them, and that he was prioritising his kidnapper more than anything but he knew that right now this was the right thing to do.

He sat by the window when suddenly Meloetta and Hoopa emerged in the room.

Their faces held a pleading, sad emotion as they ran to Drew, trying to inform him about something.

"What?" Drew asked in concern.

"Melo-me," that's all Meloetta could say as they forced Drew to come with them.

In the middle of the woods, there was a pair of Alomomola, surrounded by some bird pokemons, getting pecked by them.

Drew and the pokemons arrived in the spot just in time.

Those two heartshaped water types were flipping to their one side to another side, desperately. They were feeling so weak that they couldn't bring themselves to use any move at those attacker pokemons.

It seemed like some Pelipper or some other bird pokemon had captured those two Alomomola from sea side and had accidently dropped them in the middle of the forest. Such random things happen to fish pokemons.

"To the lake." Drew announced, he remembered the lake, situated nearby. The location wasn't very far from here.

With the help of his Roserade's stun spore they were able to rescue those two water types from the other pokemons, and without wasting time, they brought them to the lake, where Drew released the two Alomomola in the water.

The touch of water immediately pacified the pokemons, they happily gave a circular round in the lake, before vanishing underwater. Their lives had been saved.

Drew hoped that the other water types of this lake would not mind befriending these two new pokemons and welcoming them to their community.

"Let's go back home." Drew said to the pokemons standing behind him, he didn't pause to think that he just called the place home where he was technically living in captivity.

Then suddenly Meloetta took her invisible form, as if hiding from something or someone she just sensed.

"What's going on?" Drew said.

Hoopa tugged on Drew's sleeve and pointed at someone in the horizon, before hiding himself.

Drew turned to look at the direction.

It was May, and there was a Misdreavous floating in the air by her side.

"Oh..No!" Drew muttered in worry.

He hurried and sent back Roserade to it's pokeball. He tried his best to leave the place without being seen, but he knew that luck was not with him when he heard that girl's voice calling him. He could have ignored and ran away, but May was already running towards him while calling his name.

"Damn! Ash will kill me." Drew muttered to himself. Flinching a little, he turned around, flashing a smile to May, as if nothing had happened.

"Hi May, what are you doing here?" he asked.

May raised an eyebrow, "What? Me? I think I should be the one asking you this. What are you doing here, you have been missing for several days, no phone, not even answering to my sms, you said you were going in some dangerous mission, this is your mission? Having picnic in the forest?" May asked, as she pretended her best to look unknowledgeable.

"I am not on a picnic." Drew corrected.

"Then camping I guess." May said crossing her arms.

Drew sighed, "No."

He wished if he could just lie about having a picnic and camping and be done with it so that May could leave him alone but then he had to prove those lies to her.

"Then let me guess." May said, finally dropping her fake act as she came to the point, "You are living like a housewife with your kidnapper." She said.

Drew stared at her, shocked.

She knows about this!

"Do you think I am that stupid. You were missing, you never fail on any mission Drew, but even if you do, I know you, I know that you won't run away into forest because of that." May said angrily.

"Look May, I will tell you later, but right now you have to leave." Drew pleaded, he knew Ash would be there soon. If he had already returned to the house then he would search for Drew and decide to visit here upon not finding him there. And Drew didn't want May and Ash to face each other. It would lead to a huge problem, Ash had already grown suspicious of May after seeing her outside of the house that day.

"Why? is Ash prettier than me, or is he groping and fondling you every night, or these" May said, and towards the end of her sentence, she displayed a pose of love making between men quite graphically that Drew choked and just wished that if he had the power to disappear.

Then May peeked at someone over Drew's shoulder. Drew turned around to follow her gaze but his blood turned ice as soon as he did that.

It was Ash, behind them, seemed like he was around there for so long only to listen to them secretly. His eyes had a murderous gleam in it. But it was no longer confirmed if he was angry at Drew or May.

Drew gulped as he looked at Ash, but May suddenly threw her arms around Drew's neck, startling him.

"You broke my heart, I was about to reveal the news to my friends that I am your fiancée. But you cheated me," she lied, "Now what I am going to say to them, that my boyfriend is someone else's girlfriend?" she snapped and tried her best to resist the giggle that was dangerously close to escape from her mouth when she saw Drew's dumbfounded and scared look.

"That's not true." Drew protested.

May braced herself on her toes, as she raised herself a little and gave a quick peck on Drew's cheek.

"Wha..!"

Both Drew and Ash blinked in surprise, they were stunned by May's act. Ash's face seemed like someone had thrown cold water on him.

"I don't want to be a jealous girlfriend. If you are happy with him, who am I to claim you back." May said striking a sad and defeated pose.

"And you," she suddenly came to Ash and pointed her finger at his face, "Don't think I am going to forgive a person who stole my love."

With that, she spun on her heels, blew a kiss to Drew and ran away, followed by her Misdreavous.

"What did she just say?" Ash asked pointing a finger at May's direction.

"Don't fall for that act...she was just playing with us. Trust me Ash, she is always this mischievous and unpredictable." Drew said.

"Was she your girlfriend before?"

"There's nothing like this, you know there is no reason for me to lie about such things. I am telling you the truth." Drew said, trying to convince Ash.

Ash stared deeply at Drew, his piercing glare unnerved the green haired lad a little, as if he was searching for signs of lies in Drew's face.

"I don't care if she is or isn't your girlfriend. You are not leaving this place. Never! I won't let you." He said to Drew.

Meloetta and Hoopa had reappeared after May was gone, they came to join the pair.

I don't want to run away either! Drew said in mind.

"Let's go." Ash said and Drew followed him. This time Ash didn't feel like dragging Drew with him. He was sure that Drew would come on his own will.

Ash was changing his clothes when the card Serena gave to him, fell on the ground.

With a curious frown, Drew took it from the floor and his facial expression changed into stunned surprise.

"Serena!" he said, his voice reached Ash, who turned around to see Drew smiling at the card.

"You know her? where did you meet her?" Drew asked.

At first Ash was confused, "What do mean?" then his eyes slipped on the card.

"Oh, it was an annoying girl who ran into me today offering me her help." Ash said in disgust.

"Someone offering you help can't be annoying." Drew said in a defensive tone.

"How would you know?"

"She's my friend. I know her." Drew revealed.

"You are friends with a lot of women." Ash said.

"Not a lot, just a few." Drew replied.

"She's a pokemon specialist, she can be a great help to you Ash." Drew suggested.

"I don't want help from anyone. There's a danger in letting too many people know about me. I have to live a life unnoticed." Ash said.

Drew dropped his gaze to the floor. He thought with Serena's counselling power Ash would feel a little better. But he didn't want to risk anything about it. May had already known. If Serena somehow got to know that Drew is living with a...

He couldn't let Serena know this. Some people should stay out of knowing such things, and Serena was one of them.

"I think it is you who can help me Drew." Ash said after a moment.

"What?" Drew asked in confusion.

"I will let you know." Ash said as he cupped Drew's face, stroking his left cheek with his thumb. "But you will not agree to help me. So I have to force you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Dimly, Drew was aware of Ash leading him to the bedroom, he was leaning on him for support, probably because of the drugs Ash had doped him with...abruptly.

Once in there, he dropped Drew on the bed and lowered himself on him.

"NO" Drew said weakly as he tried to push Ash away from him when the ravenette tried to lean closer.

"Don't do that." Ash had said sternly. "Trying to resist me will only infuriate me." He said as he grabbed Drew's wrist and moved his hand away.

Drew angled his head to his left as Ash leaned in.

"You are very enticing Drew." Ash complimented in a seductive voice while enjoying himself, the only thing stopped him from continuing further was when he saw tears in Drew's eyes.

This was not what he had expected in return.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked as he wiped away the tears of the boy beneath him, but his polite words only made Drew sob harder.

"Hey!" Ash called him as he curled one hand under Drew's back and sat him up on the bed.

"What happened? Was I that bad?" Ash asked.

"No..it is not that." Drew said.

"You can tell me everything you want." Ash said patting Drew's head affectionately.

"I have a bad past too you know." Drew said.

"What?"

"My parents," Drew whispered.

"Something happened to them?" Ash asked.

Drew nodded, "They had been murdered."

* * *

Drew's Gardevoir and Zoroark were stopped by a scene when they were continuing with the mission. Actually the whole story was, Zoroark had witnessed Giovanni and J using Heatran, who was under the possession of the machine controlling it, terrorising the wild pokemons.

A bunch of pokemons consisiting Deerling, Swanna, Altaria, Volcarona and Sunflora were already injured. And a few baby pokemons were trying to hide behind their guardians.

That scene immediately boiled the blood of Gardevoir and Zoroark. They stared at each other and nodded, agreeing to help the pokemons.

With the advantages of being the pokemons of a sneaky tracker, who had trained them to think independently on certain situations, Gardevoir and Zoroark came with a deceiving plan, and decided to attack without giving those villains the time to get alert in advance.

J was on her Salamence while Giovanni's Sableye and Persian were guarding him. The psychic/fairy pokemon teleported herself on the back of Salamence, behind J, and didn't even pause to enjoy the baffled look on J's face as she activated her psychic power with a tremendous force and immobilised both J and her pokemon.

Giovanni's current movements got interrupted when a shadowy thing appeared out of nowhere and used night slash on him. Persian and Sableye tried to pounce on it but they too received repeated slashes from that pokemon.

No time to lose! With that in mind, Zoroark rushed to Heatran after taking care of Giovanni, because Gardevoir couldn't keep J and her salamence disabled for so long. That dragon was too fiery and powerful.

Zoroark broke the machine tied around Heatran's head, and the legendary fire-steel pokemon stepped out of its possessed state. Now behaving normal, it reminisced everything that how a crazy, evil woman on a Salamence's back had captured it at the last day of its freedom and took it away from its family.

Then Heatran's eyes slipped on J and her salamence. The pokemon let out an angry growl and prepared to attack when it recognised them. Zoroark signalled for Gardevoir when Heatran sent out a magma storm, followed by a flash canon, Gardevoir immediately teleported herself away. The aim did miss a little but it still caused a massive blast, and the blast did more damage to J's side than it did to Giovanni. The machine J used to freeze defenceless pokemons and turning them into statues to silence their screams, got ruined at once. It served her well for all the assault she did to the innocent poke-lives.

With the enemy duo fainted on the ground and so their pokemons, Gardevoir and Zoroark led the rescued and injured pokemons along with Heatran to a nearest spot, under one of the rescued pokemon's suggestion, where a Pokemon Center was located.

* * *

Ash sat silently by the edge of the bed, Drew was asleep, covered in blanket, he didn't wake up as he was still under the affect of those doses from the sedative Ash gave him.

Drew had told him about the thing, he had been a rich kid, and his parents had been partnered with a business tycoon, and that had earned the rage of many jealous rivals, who had set up paid assassins to terminate Drew's parents, and Drew was just a kid when he was threatened and driven out of his property after they were killed. Even after his honest family-advocate had helped him in getting justice and the wealth back, which he was the legal heir of, they couldn't locate those perpetrators who had murdered his parents. The suspects were all captured but the real culprits were gone, and the more Drew saw Ash avenging Pikachu's death, the more he loathed himself for not getting to avenge his own parents' death like this. He felt so pathetic and self-pitied, and that frustrated him.

The rest of the night Ash had spent comforting and calming Drew down, no matter what plan Ash had in mind for that night, it didn't work beyond a kiss, but the kiss was one-sided because Drew had not participated in the kiss, and he couldn't protest Ash either as he was drugged. When the greenette was finally asleep, Ash had laid him down, Drew had also mentioned his fear for the people who had killed his guardians, he feared that they would come after him too for his money. They would kill him as well.

"I won't let them!" Ash had said to him at once, he felt so protective of him when he saw the genuine fear on Drew's eyes that he had not seen before not even in that night when he had attacked him.

* * *

Serena put down the little Diancie-statue back at the display counter, she moved further to see the other show pieces, many minimized poke figures were there.

She came out of the shop and joined the crowd leading to the small fair ahead.

There was a stage, built in the middle of the town square. It was built solely for the visitors to have pokemon matches with one another, double battles.

Serena was never too invested into pokemon battles. She liked doing the other things, being a regular pokemon trainer and participating in league championship was everyone's first option but Serena liked the other options better.

She had to go through a lot for that, she had been a pokemon performer before, which technically means to be a pokemon exhibitionist. But in some people's eyes, it was a very petty thing to do. She was not the only one to receive such statements, her friend, a green haired boy, who obviously enjoyed participating in contests, were shamed for being a male and a coordinator, because it was too girly, not that it affected him, but Serena knew it was wrong.

Because of their similar circumstances, they had shared a bond, and had decided to stick together.

Drew had told her not to care much about those who are never present in the midst of her crisis, but always ready to judge every move she makes.

Serena had agreed.

They did hang out with each other a lot, and people thought he was her boyfriend, except the fact that everything between them was pure platonic. Also for Serena's looks, she was judged both negatively and positively, some would shower her with admirable gazes but some would call her a 'trollop' behind her back.

Serena knew not to mind.

After waiting for a moment in the crowd, she was quite drawn to the battling spirit of the current trainer-pair who were battling each other, the team of a Rapidash and a Milotic totally gave befitting responses to the other battler's Bronzong and Graveler. The referee had declared the match draw when both sides ran out of breath.

Thinking to herself, Serena decided to raise her hand quite early as soon as the announcer asked for another two volunteers from the crowd for the next pokemon match.

She got accepted. The crowd cheered for her when she walked up to the stage. Her opponent was a brunette, around her age, who had also volunteered herself for the match.

The host announced their names, and Serena learned that her opponent's name is May.

The battle started.

She had chosen Delphox and Sylveon while May chose her Blaziken and Glaceon.

The crowd watched in suspense as the first few attacks and blocks took place, whenever two attacks, coming from both sides, collided in the middle of the stage, a loud bang would startle everyone.

"Use Blaze kick!" May commanded.

The fighting fire pokemon looked all mighty and dominating in the middle of the air when it jumped, the expression on its face was scathing, and Serena knew direct attack wouldn't harm it, so she instructed her Sylveon to jump on Delphox's shoulder and use protect.

The spherical shield appeared around them which blocked the attack.

"Use Flamethrower." Serena ordered.

Fire appeared on the tip of her Delphox's wand as the pokemon released a stream of fire.

"Counter with fire spin." May smirked as she commanded her Blaziken.

The fire spin seemed to be as powerful as the flame thrower and the collision released massive blazing winds towards every direction.

"Fire blast."

An weird shaped yellow-orange coloured fire was sent out towards Glaceon by Serena's Delphox, but under May's command, her Blaziken blocked it with another fire spin.

This time the eevee evolutions took the spot.

Pulling her feelers together Serena's Sylveon turned the air around her glowing light blue, then wide-spreading her feelers she sent the wind towards the shadow ball that Glaceon had currently threw at her direction. The two moves, when hit, resulted being crushed into a mixture of shadowy and pink sparkling trails of dust. It was a treat to watch as the crowd cheered for the wonderful display.

May then commanded Glaceon to attack with ice shards, which Sylveon answered with her swifts.

So far, none of the pokemons was injured yet.

"Iron Tail," May's voice came.

Shining its tail Glaceon charged at the other eevee evolution, Sylveon dodged under Serena's instructions immediately.

"Ice Beam," May added another command.

The ice type pokemon launched its freezing beam, the blue beam was directed towards the fairy type.

"Hurry, use Flamethrower." Serena yelled in panic. Ice melts in fire, She thought.

Her Delphox immediately countered it with the flamethrower which saved Sylveon from being frozen.

"Fire spin!"

"Flamethrower!"

The crowd watched as the two female trainers got to the climax, both of their attacks were strong and effective.

The attacks collided again but his time the blast brought a huge cloud of smoke which covered the battling pokemons from the audience's view.

After a while, it got clear...

And everyone kept their eyes glued to the stage to see the result.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"You kissed me last night." Drew asked Ash with a slight blush on his face, perplexed.

Ash didn't react or answered instantly, he just stood still. Closing his eyes he went to the refrigerator. Opening the door and taking out a water bottle.

Drew silently watched Ash's every movement.

"Yes I did." Ash finally said, staring at Drew.

"Why?" Drew asked instantly.

"Why?"

"...Because I wanted to." Ash replied, startling Drew.

Ash got up with the bottle in his hand before opening the lid and gulping down the content in it.

Drew hung his head, he could not find any more words to say to the ravenette.

He wanted to?...kiss me? Drew thought.

Ash set the water bottle on the table and was about to leave when Drew stopped him.

"Wait don't go...I need to say a few words." Drew said.

"What?"

"I have been locked with you in this abandoned place for weeks now. I am starting to get claustrophobia, I feel exhausted and stuck up, can we please go somewhere for sometime. Please." Drew pleaded, his voice slowly softening towards the end.

Ash looked at Drew's pleading eyes and how desperate they seemed to get an affirmation out of Ash.

"You want to get out of this place. Fine , but not now, I will take you out at night. will that be okay?"

"Anything to get out of this place for a moment." Drew said smiling,

"Thank you Ash."

"For what?"

"For understanding me.." Drew said.

"I am not doing it for you. For a moment I felt I need to get out of this place and spend some time elsewhere too." Ash said flatly.

"Anyway thanks." Drew said.

Ash didn't answer just left the place.

* * *

The crowd cheered as the smoke got cleared and the result was near.

Both May and Serena's pokemons were standing. So as a result they both were the winners. The match was a draw.

"It was a splendid performance and they both won." The announcer said.

"Awesome." Serena said and ran to her pokemons.

"You did well." She said to her pokemons.

Meanwhile May called back her pokemons and walked up to Serena.

"That was wonderful. I never had such an awesome battle" May said and held out her hand for a handshake which Serena shook.

"I did not know it will be a draw." Serena said.

"Neither did I." May said and smiled her disarming smile.

Serena blushed and looked down.

"What you say, we should celebrate our victory." May said.

"Sure." Serena replied.

"Then let's go to some cafe and eat pastries." May suggested.

"Alright." Serena nodded

The announcer came and presented them both the prize and congratulated them.

Serena happily looked down on her victory prize. It was a small pretty shaped batch of beautiful design.

"Pretty isn't it?" May asked.

"Yes, it is." She said while inspecting the prize.

"Let's celebrate you will remember this celebration I promise." May assured.

"I wish Drew was here, I could've shared my happiness with him." Serena thought. As the picture of the greenette flashed through her eyes. She was really missing him.

* * *

It was night. Ash and Drew were standing outside of a restaurant. It was late at night.

"You sure we should go inside, its pretty late and I thought the place wont be this empty." Drew said inspecting the outside area of the place.

"More empty the place, better for us." Ash said with a hint in his tone.

Drew looked at him.

"Let's go." Ash said as he dragged Drew by his arm inside the restaurant.

There were only a few people inside, chattering and enjoying their food and drinks.

"We would like to have something." Drew said to the person sitting on the counter.

"It's the closing time." He said.

At this, Drew took out some money and placed it infront of the person.

"We can only serve you drinks, foods are not available anymore at this time." He said.

"We are thirsty, give us something to drink." Drew said.

Having given their orders Drew and Ash waited in the counter and seated themselves on the chairs.

"I know you have retrieved your pokeballs from Meloetta and Hoopa and have sent Your Gardevoir and Zoroark somewhere.." Ash informed brushing his hand at one of his own thighs.

His words startled and scared Drew.

He could not say something at first.

"How did you know?" Drew asked after recovering from his initial start.

"I just know, but it's okay." Ash said placing his hand on top of Drew's knuckles. "It's okay because you could have run away days ago if you wanted to, but you didn't. I trust you now." Ash said smiling.

Drew blushed and snatched his hand away. "Don't touch me like this here. it's not your bedroom, There are people around us." Drew said in a whispering tone.

"OK." Ash said.

The waiter came and placed their orders infront of them and before leaving he shot a glance at the two because of how close the two were sitting. Smirking to himself the waiter left.

Thinking back to Ash's words and how Ash said that Drew didn't run away when he could have...

That much was true, Drew had faced several opportunities to escape but he didn't escape as if somehow he didn't want to escape. As if he want to stay.

But before Drew could add something to their conversation, they were interrupted by a group of three people who approached their table.

"Hey you two.." One of them started.

"This table belongs to us." Others added.

Drew and Ash didn't answer and continued with their drinks.

"Leave you bastards!" They said in an aggressive rude tone.

"We came here first." Drew replied.

"Attitude huh, I will teach you a lesson, you little punk." One of them said and aggressively loomed over, he raised his hand and tried to touch his collar when Drew suddenly grabbed his hand and twisted it.

He got up and with the other hand he slammed that guy's head on the nearest table and twisted his arm behind his back.

The guy screamed.

Ash didn't bother to interfere in whatever Drew was doing just continued his drink.

"If you guys let us drink in peace and don't try to bully us anymore then I will let go of you." Drew said in a threatening tone.

"Don't fuck with us." The other two yelled and tried to pounce on Drew but suddenly Ash came between them like a wind and kicked one of them in the face knocking him over. And with the other hand he jabbed the other guy at the stomach and weakened him instantly.

They fell over.

"If you guys let us drink in peace and don't try to bully us anymore, then I will let go of you punks. Now, what will you do?" Ash said in a flat emotionless tone that sounded both icy cold and scary.

Those boys being beaten up and all defeated, nodded in agreement from their places as they got up slowly from the ground and ran out of the restaurant in fear.

Then Drew and Ash exchanged glances.

"Thanks for helping me out." Drew said in a soft voice.

"Anytime." Ash said coolly before heading back for his unfinished drink. He sat down on the chair and continued his drink. After a few odd seconds Drew joined him.

* * *

"Don't you think this plan will be successful?" Giovanni asked.

"I think it's alright." Hunter J said painting her nails. She was injured, bandages wrapped here and there on her body.

"This will be great chance to capture Ash. We have to lure him in first."

"But make sure he doesn't slip away." Hunter J said.

"He won't you can trust me." Giovanni said.

"I still don't get how you managed to get injured like this."

"I told you there was a Zoroark and Gardevoir who destroyed my plan of capturing that heatran you ordered me to seize, I got my arm laser destroyed in a battle against pokemons so I have to rely on other techniques in capturing pokemons." Hunter j said.

"A zoroark and a Gardevoir huh? seemed interesting. Two normal pokemons defeated you, this is sad. Anyway, I want you to be by my side when I will capture Ash."

"And what will be my payment for it." Hunter J asked.

"Anything you need." Giovanni replied.

"Why are you so invested in Ash. Isn't that boy is now a plain monster who can hurt you too?" Hunter J asked.

"Yes, but I need that monster. He is my monster, he is mine. I won't let anyone have him." Giovanni said making a creepy cruel face.

"OK as you please." J replied.

Their short conversation ended there.

* * *

Another night came.

Ash stood still on a tower near the forest, from there, he could easily spot the team rocket grunts in the distance. Who were busy doing their chores, performing their duty of doing another notorious scheme planned by Giovanni.

Tonight, Ash had come to disrupt their base operation of illegally seizing innocent pokemons. What Ash hated most was torturing the innocent, as he himself was subjected to such torture before, being caged and treated miserably in the lab he was locked in. He knew well that team rocket minions were the ones who just followed orders. Giovanni is the one who barked orders and force everyone to do evil. But even so stopping this operation is necessary for the sake of good pokemons.

Ash was standing with his charizard. His charizard looked amazing with his wings widely spread and with the moon behind him.

"You know what to do, right?" Ash asked charizard, to which the pokemon nodded.

Ash then climbed on Charizard's back and they flew away in the night sky.

"It was getting boring for a job, capturing pokemon." A team rocket grunt said.

"We are here for something else remember." Other one said.

"I don't think Ash will come here tonight." One said.

"He has to, our job is to capture him." other one added.

They failed to notice that a silhouette of a pokemon was slowly approaching them flying in the sky.

Finally, when someone pointed out what was behind them it was already too late. Ash had charged on them.

Ash got down from his dragon pokemon and hit one of the grunts, the blow was so powerful that the guy he hit sat down in pain holding his stomach.

Meanwhile Charizard dragon clawed a nearby team rocket pokemon and with his dragon tail he charged at another pokemon making both of them fall on the ground at once.

The team rocket grunts tried to take control over Ash but couldn't. Ash was much faster and stronger than them.

"hurry." Ash said to his charizard.

Charizard released a stream of fire at the huge device that had been used to seize the pokemons and the flamethrower totally destroyed it.

One of the team rocket grunts was an eight year old boy, a newbie. He was so scared by the sudden circumstances that he lost his mind and ran towards the edge like a fool but Ash watched him from the corner of his eye.

The little boy was about to tipped over and fall from the edge when Ash's hand suddenly grabbed him from behind, saving him. Ash then set him down gently on the ground.

The little boy shivered a little before falling on his arse on the ground.

He stared at Ash in disbelief with both fear and surprise in his eyes.

"Why did you save my life." He asked.

"Just go away." Ash commanded in his husky serious tone.

The little guy eyed Ash carefully before getting up and running away.

Ash closed his eyes and turned away towards his charizard.

He was about to speak something when suddenly multiple wires came flying from nowhere binding Ash's body and his charizard altogether. Capturing them.

Then a huge net was thrown over them. They couldn't escape.

"A trap!" Ash growled under his breath.

A group of a few grunts came forward with guns in hand and surrounded Ash and Charizard. Finally Giovanni showed himself. Accompanied with Hunter J.

"Surprised to see me?" he said to Ash in a pleasant tone. "I knew you would come here sooner or later, I was prepared for you Ash."

"LET GO BASTARD!." Ash growled angrily.

"No I can't, I am sorry. You are going to come with us and going back to our lab from where you have escaped , back to your isolated cell Ash." Giovanni said and smiled.

He came closer to Ash, who was bound, wrapped in wires. Struggling to get free.

"But don't worry Ash, this time you won't be able to escape anymore and I promise that your pokemons will be sharing the same fate as your Pikachu did." He said.

At this Ash got furious and kicked Giovanni's Chin.

The big guy stumbled and fell on the ground on his back, blood coming out from his face.

"I will get you for this Ash but right now I have to focus on the bigger task, as you can see that we have come to recruit you." he said, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief that was handed to him by a nearby team rocket grunt.

"You belong to us Ash. You belong to me." Giovanni creepily said and smiled evilly.

"Damn." Ash thought. He had to get out of this situation. He tried to violently shake off his binds but couldn't set himself free.

"I am trapped." He said to himself.

"Yes you are Ash..Now come on…"

All of a sudden a Zoroark came rolling on the ground, and with an excellent speed he slashed on the binds that were holding Ash. He cut through Ash's bonds and freed him immediately.

Meanwhile a Gardevoir appeared in the scene from nowhere through teleporting and without any further delay, that Fairy/Psychic pokemon used her teleporting ability once again and with that she teleported Ash, Charizard, Zoroark and herself somewhere else, disappearing into the thin air.

"What?" Giovanni Yelled, "Where did they go? What just happened? where is Ash?"

"That Gardevoir teleported them away." One of the grunts said.

"We can't say where did they go." Other one added.

"Damn." Giovanni cursed under his breath.

"We have to find them." Hunter J said. "And those are the same Gardevoir and Zoroark who disabled me that day."

"Those Gardevoir and Zoroark belong to someone I know." Giovanni hissed under his breath.

* * *

"You followed me?" Ash asked Drew.

"Yes." Drew hit back. He was standing between his Gardevoir and Zoroark.

"Why?" Ash asked in a cold voice.

"Because I wanted to." Drew answered.

"You know as well as I do that getting yourself or your pokemons involved with me and my business will only cause you harm." Ash said darkly.

"I can't just sit here and let you get in danger anymore." Drew said.

"Why? why are you so concerned about me? You know you are my captive then why are you helping me instead of helping yourself? instead of helping yourself to escape?" Ash asked.

"I don't want to escape." Drew said suddenly, startling Ash.

"What?"

"Yes, I don't want to go back to this stupid world run by dummies I want to stay with you Ash, stay with you forever." Drew said.

Upon hearing how emotional Drew sounded Ash widened his eyes.

"Do you really want to stay with a monster like me?" Ash asked.

"You are not a monster." Drew said rebelliously.

"You know nothing about me Drew." Ash said.

"Then tell me about you." Drew replied angrily.

"Why are you so persistent about me?"

"Because I know you, I know you now more than you do Ash. I know that you think yourself as a monster but there is a human resides in your heart. I know that Deep down you are a normal person, you are not that freaking killer who goes by the name 'he who kills'. You are Ash ketchum, and that is the truth." Drew said, hail-screaming.

"I am a monster, you know nothing. And don't call me a human ever. I hate humans." Ash said.

"Then you hate me too right?" Drew asked with a mischievous smirk.

Ash glared at him. "I am not going to answer that." he growled and left the place followed by his charizard.

"I know….that you love me Ash." Drew whispered to himself. Smiling.

Ash heard him and stopped.

"I can't love anyone Drew." Ash said, softly.

"Why?"

"Because I am a killer, I have killed, I have taken lives, even if they were notorious people still that does not change the fact that I have killed people." Ash said.

"Forget the past, and I don't care if you have wiped away some villains, what I care is that you need someone, you need me, and I want to help you in rediscovering yourself. Come back to your senses Ash, you can have a new start." Drew said in a pleading tone.

"You seem changed. The first time I brought you here, you were furious at me." Ash said.

"That was different, and yes I have changed but so did you. I can see through you, you are not a bad person." Drew said.

"Not a bad person? I am the worst, I have kidnapped you." Ash said.

"I know but that doesn't matter to me anymore." Drew said.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Because I love you Ash." Drew said.

"That can't be." Ash whispered.

"Are you surprised hearing this from me? it sounds odd I know, but what I said is true, I have fallen for you the day you kissed me. I know it will hurt me if you don't love me back, but that's okay, I am merely a..."

Drew could not finish his sentence as Ash walked up to him, grabbed him by his collar and suddenly pulled him into a kiss. Teeth crushing, tongue touching each other.

Drew soon broke the kiss, gasping desperately for air.

"I love you too Drew." Ash said to him.

Drew smiled, "That makes me so much happy. I can't believe you actually returned my feelings Ash."

"Why shouldn't I? I loved you the moment I saw you. You are daring, you are not heartless like other humans, you are different in nature just like me, I see so much of me in you Drew." Ash commented.

"Then tell me, tell me that you will never leave me and stay by my side." Drew pleaded.

"I will, I will always stay by your side Drew." Ash replied and grabbed Drew's chin before pulling him into another kiss.

* * *

May was sitting in her room by her desk, giving the necessary information about Ash and Drew to Hunter J.

May had only befriended Serena after finding out about Serena's connection to Drew, in order to use her as a pawn. In order to use Drew as a pawn too.

But somehow inside she wasn't happy about Serena knowing Drew, it bothered her and she didn't know why. Was it jealousy? But why? she knew well she isn't interested in anyone including Drew, then why somehow she felt jealous. Why she couldn't shake away the strange feeling in her gut about Serena's relation with Drew. Are they lovers? They can't be! No matter how much she tried to flee the unpleasant twinge in her gut , it didn't leave her. Her unconscious mind kept screaming at her something. But she refused to listen.

She can't be jealous of Serena and Drew. No she can't be.

Today she had to focus on her job first, her job was to take Hunter J and Giovanni to the place where Ash was keeping Drew, or better to say where Ash was hiding with Drew. Today everything would be over, and with that the chapter of this mysterious killer 'he who kills' aka Ash Ketchum would end soon. May thought.

Before closing the laptop after talking to Hunter J, she paused for a moment. A frown visible on her face.

"Whatever it takes I am not going to let anyone have Drew, whether I love him or not, but he is not going to be someone else's property, and that's final." May said to herself.

* * *

Drew and Ash were walking by the lake, hand in hand.

"We are going to have to move somewhere else, this place isn't safe anymore." Ash said.

"But it's a nice place, I love the scenario." Drew said.

"Yes but someone can easily find us, besides I don't live in one place for such a long time, it's risky and I have several other hideouts between which I keep switching places." Ash stated.

"As you wish but I love this place."

"Sure you do." Ash said and hummed in his mind.

"Ending up in the clutches of Giovanni, losing my most deared pokemon, having lost sanity and becoming a monster now I am romancing a guy around my age. Life sure takes unexpected turns." Ash mumbled to himself.

"Forget about your pain Ash, the more you talk about it, the more you remember it, the more you will be depressed." Drew assured.

"You are right." Ash said but then a frown appeared on his face.

"What's that girl doing here again?" he asked staring infront of him.

Drew followed his gaze and saw May, standing a few feet away from them, smirking.

"May, what are you doing here all alone?" Drew asked her.

"I am not alone, I brought company. Look over there." May said and signalled at somewhere.

Drew and Ash turned their heads to find Giovanni and Hunter J with their men.

"Thanks to you Drew. I found you." May said, "Now they can capture Ash."

"What are you saying?" Drew asked.

"You know what I am saying."

"What? you are with them too? you backstabbed me." Ash said in disbelief. His eyes filled with shock.

"No that's not true." Drew tried to convince.

"Is that why you had sent your Zoroark and Gardevoir outside, to let them know about me?" Ash asked.

Drew could not say anything, nor he could protest. Whatever Ash said was half true. He just stood there silently which gave Ash the answer he was wondering.

"I was wrong about you Drew, I thought you are different, but you are the BLOODY SAME." Ash cursed under his breath, shaking with anger now.

"No you gotta believe me" Drew cried, "May tell Ash the truth, say that you are lying." he pleaded May.

"Sorry , I can not say anything Drew, it's because of you we succeed in tracking Ash down. If you were not here then Ash can never be found Drew " May smirked.

"NO that's not true, I will never do such a thing. This is all wrong." Drew tried to protest.

"Drew, I will remember this, I will remember your backstabbing. I will punish you later for this but right now..." Ash continued as he produced a pokeball.

Before he could throw the pokeball and summon his pokemon some team rocket grunts hurried and restrained him, grabbing his torso, hands and legs. However they were still no match for Ash's physical strength. Even being restrained like this Ash managed to throw the pokeball in the air calling his Charizard. The huge lizardoid dragon pokemon came out of his resting place and attacked, releasing Ash from their holds.

May caught Drew's hand and dragged him in the distance to protect him from Ash.

"I will come back for you later Drew, and I will remember of punishing you." Ash said before riding his charizard. Charizard quickly ascended in the sky with Ash on it.

"Ash wait..." Drew pleaded.

"Charizard use flamethrower." Ash commanded.

Charizard growled and attacked, sending a stream of massive fire towards the ground that resulted in a blast, a few people got caught in the blast, the fire produced smoke and gave enough time to Ash to fly away with Charizard. But before they left Ash eyed Drew for one last time.

When the smoke got cleared everyone took position. Drew released his hand from May's grasp and ran towards the direction Ash just left but stopped.

"They are gone." He whispered sadly.

"They left." Giovanni was the first to speak among others.

"Good for them, now it would be easier to track him down because one of his hideouts have been discovered." J said.

"That's true. Lets go." He said.

As they left Drew talked to May.

"Why did you lie to Ash?" Drew asked May angrily.

"I didn't lie, you know well that you hate Ash, he is a killer." May said.

"I don't hate him and never will, you should not have come butting in in our business, because of you Ash is gone, and he sure hates me now. All because of you May." Drew said, his voice breaking in the end.

"You know well he was hurting you, you should just leave him, he doesn't deserve your friendship. So come on.." May said and was about to grab Drew's hand once more when Drew snatched his hand away.

"Don't touch me." Drew growled.

"You are taking way too much pressure on you Drew, just relax and leave everything to me." May said.

"I don't want to talk to you." Drew said and walked away leaving May behind.

"Strange guy." May muttered after him.

* * *

Serena was placing muffins and cookies in her picnic basket, her long lost friend Drew had returned in the apartment and she was happy, she had spent the whole day baking Drew's favourite snacks to give him as a 'welcome back' gift.

But something felt wrong. Even though Drew had returned after being rescued from that mad killer's clutches. He wasn't happy. There was sadness in his eyes. Something was bothering him. it is okay for someone to feel sad who have been locked away in imprisonment, spending days as a captive to some notorious criminal but with Drew it felt different. As if something was bothering him.

shouldn't he feel happy and relieved that he is saved? Serena thought.

She would ask him as soon as she would meet him.

Upon entering Drew's apartment Serena felt a strange feeling in her gut. Just whatever it is something wasn't right. She reached for Drew's apartment door and knocked. A couple minutes later Drew opened the door. He seemed a little startled seeing Serena suddenly.

"May I come in?" Serena asked politely.

"Sure." Drew said.

Serena entered the detective's apartment. Everything seemed pretty neat and in place, nothing was messy in his apartment just like the usual.

"Is this for me?" Drew asked Serena indicating the basket she was holding.

"Yes, it is for you." Serena said and presented him the picnic basket.

"Thank you." Drew replied tugging a soft smile on his lips but couldn't laugh freely, there was sadness lingering on his expression. He wasn't happy.

"Drew, may I ask you something." Serena said.

"Yes."

"Is something wrong with you? You don't seem happy, I mean shouldn't you be happy that you are free from that killer's clutches."

Drew smiled, "Killer? If he is that killer why he had not killed me yet when he had the chance? I am really getting sick of hearing this now." He said.

Serena paused, she didn't know what to reply.

"That girl named May told me that.." she started but was immediately cut off by Drew.

"Look Serena, whatever happened, has happened with me, I don't want you to get involved in this. Promise me that you won't ask me anything about it anymore." Drew said in a serious tone.

"Okay promise." Serena said instantly but feeling a bit bothered by how rude Drew sounded.

"Can I have the snacks now?" Drew then asked with a pleasant smile trying to cheer Serena's mood.

"Yeah sure." She said and began unfolding the foods she had brought for Drew.

* * *

May wasn't happy about how Drew abandoned her just after Ash left. She couldn't fathom what was going in Drew's mind.

"What's wrong with him, I saved him." she said to herself.

She couldn't get over the sad feeling she was getting at how Drew rejected her and said that he didn't want to talk to her. it just bothered her a lot.

"Does Drew hate me now?" she thought.

May took a bite on the slice of her double cheese pizza.

"Whatever, I don't care if he dislikes me for what I did, I did what I had to as a part of my Job." May said munching on her food.

"Is Ash really that important to him? Have they become good friends?" she murmured in her mind.

"It can't be. Drew will never be attracted to someone like that Ash, he is a killer, and a killer is always a killer." May said to herself.

May unwrapped the other pizza but instead of taking a slice she just paused there, suddenly her eyes began watering.

"Drew...I think I love him." She finally whispered.

Realizing that she was deeply in love with Drew from the beginning but couldn't fathom it. She couldn't understand how this had suddenly happened. At one point she was seeing Drew just as a pawn and now she was seeing Drew as something else. She recognised her feelings and understood what was going on. And it hurt her. The fact that Drew probably hate her now. The fact that the person she just realised she was in love with was her hater.

Life sure is strange. May thought.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Ash keeps slipping away." Hunter J said. "It's either we are too dumb to act in time or it's probably because he has gotten smarter."

"The latter." Giovanni commented.

"Now what? What is your plan? Why didn't you apprehend that cheating fleabag Drew?" J asked.

"Because that won't do any good." Giovanni said.

"I am getting a feeling that Ash might want to meet Drew. Secretly." J stated.

"Yes and I have sent some men to watch over Drew outside his apartment from tonight." Giovanni assured.

"I hope this time he gets caught. This cat and mouse game is becoming exhausting." J stated.

"He sure will." Giovanni said.

"And what exactly your plan upon receiving Ash?"

"I wish to use him as my pet dog and make him do everything I want." Giovanni said.

"Ow so you want Ash to be in your team as a grunt. Good call. I wish he gets caught soon so I can experience this bizarre scheme of yours." J said chuckling a little.

"You will see more than that. Ash is powerful evil and monstrous just like the trustworthy lapdog I want." Giovanni said.

"Don't know if he's trustworthy or evil." J stated.

"He is evil. We replaced his human feelings when we tortured him. And I will make him trustworthy once I get my hands on him." Giovanni muttered gulping down his wine.

* * *

It was night, the starry sky was looking beautiful. There was no light coming out from Drew's apartment meaning that everyone had gone to sleep.

Two team rocket grunts were standing outside of the building. They were watching over the place.

What they didn't know was that Ash was nearby and watching over them.

They were so busy in chattering among themselves that they failed to notice Ash, who was carefully and slowly approaching them from behind.

Slowly the ravenette sneaked in behind them and slammed both of their heads together knocking them unconscious. He then tied and gagged them up so that they don't create noises upon waking up.

Ash noticed in the distance that there were three other team rocket grunts patrolling the area with their pokemons.

Ash quietly took out a pokeball and called out his Greninja. The frog like pokemon stood in a dignified pose waiting to receive orders from Ash.

One of the men accidently came near the bush Where Ash and Greninja were hiding. Ash's greninja quickly extended his pink scarf like tongue and wrapped it around the foot of the guy then dragged him violently inside the bush without anyone noticing. Ash then knocked him out and tied him up just like the formers. He then repeated the same process two more times incapacitating the two other men.

Meanwhile, Greninja, on the other hand, singlehandedly battled and defeated the pokemons that were partnered with the grunts.

When everything was taken care of Ash decided to pay his visit to Drew. He had come to punish him for everything Ash believed he had done. What Ash didn't know was that Drew was actually innocent.

Ash didn't know what was wrong, his mood brightened at the moment he thought of visiting Drew but also felt reluctant to do it. And was reluctant to punish him as well. But he had to. He had to punish that bastard.

With Greninja Ash climbed on Drew's apartment balcony. The balcony door was open. Ash didn't have a problem even if the balcony door were closed. Ash then slowly sneaked in Drew's bedroom.

Drew was asleep, sleeping on his bed. However, his facial expression didn't hold any pleasant expression, as if even in his sleep he was bothered by something.

Ash came closer to Drew's bed. He placed his both hands at the both sides of Drew's pillow and leaned in. Inspecting Drew's face. After sometime he withdrew his right hand and reached to grab Drew's throat. To strangle him.

"Ash." Drew happened to mumble then.

Ash stopped. He was startled and tempted to find out that even in his sleep he was calling his name.

"Is he really that much in love with me, or this all just a lie." Ash thought.

Fisting his hand in a ball and gritting his teeth Ash straightened his position.

"I can't do this, I can't kill Drew." He thought.

Killing somebody was never a problem for Ash before but this time it seemed different. It seemed different because Ash was deeply in love with Drew as well.

Ash turned to think. Should he kidnap Drew once again? No he can't torture Drew anymore by imprisoning him. But Drew had to answer him everything Ash needed to know. What should he do now?

"Did you come to kill me?"

Ash startled as he heard Drew's voice and turned around quickly.

Drew was now sitting on the bed. Wide awake.

He wasn't asleep?

"Why did you stop? Why didn't you finish me off?" Drew asked.

Ash didn't reply.

"I know you hate me.." Drew continued, "But allow me to say one thing Ash, I don't wanna live a life hated by you, hated by someone I love. It is better if you kill me Ash. Because you will probably won't believe that I am innocent."

"Shut up!" Ash yelled and slapped Drew hard across the face.

"You have no right to tell me what to do." Ash screamed.

Drew, saddened by Ash's reaction didn't speak for a while, but there was tear in his eye. Ash didn't fail to notice it as well.

"Ash trust me. I am innocent. That girl May lied. Please believe me." Drew said, his voice breaking.

"Don't cry on me. Drew." Ash said as his own voice softened, he realised that he could no longer be angry with Drew.

He grabbed Drew's face, pulling him in a hug. Drew returned the hug immediately, weeping.

"I love you Ash." Drew said.

"I love you too Drew."

"Then take me with you." Drew spoke, "I want to be with you, always."

"OK, I will." Ash said."But right now I have to leave. There are Giovanni's men outside, they were watching over you. I cant let you be in danger because of me."

"I will never be in danger with you by my side. if you don't take me with you then Giovanni's men will harass me, Giovanni will target me to get information out of me about you." Drew said.

"That much is true." Ash muttered.

"Great, pack your bags, take your necessary items with you, we are leaving." Ash said.

"Okay." Drew said as his mouth curved into a smile. He was happy with Ash's decision.

Drew began packing his clothes and other items, he was filled with so much bubbling energy to think that he was going with Ash once again.

* * *

Serena waited on the couch, May was in the kitchen bringing her something to drink.

Serena was invited by May for a sleepover night. They were good friends now. But Serena didn't know that May actually invited her to get some information out of her about her and Drew.

Serena on the other hand was happy for the invitation.

They were going to have so much fun. Serena thought.

But something seemed wrong with May, her facial expression was neutral but her eyes held a sad expression.

May came out of the kitchen with a glass of juice in her hand.

"Need more juice?" May asked offering her the glass.

"No, thanks." Serena said accepting the glass.

May seated herself beside Serena on the couch.

"Serena, may I ask you something? I just forgot to ask you this that day we were celebrating in the cafe after our combined victory. Can I ask you now?"

"Sure." Serena said politely.

"What is Drew to you? I mean how do you know each other?" May asked trying to sound casual but Serena didn't miss how desperate she actually sounded.

"Drew is just a friend of mine. No more, no less." Serena said.

"Ow that's it."

"Yes."

"Why did you ask it?" Serena questioned.

"Nothing just casual." May lied.

"But your voice seemed desperate. Something's wrong?" Serena asked.

"No nothing." May said and immediately thought of changing the subject.

"Would you like to go to the balcony and watch the stars, I have a telescope." May suggested trying to change the atmosphere of the room. It was getting serious and May didn't like it.

"I would love to May." Serena said.

Serena gulped down the rest of her juice, set down her glass and stood up.

May caught Serena's hand and dragged her behind her to the balcony.

the handrails of May's balcony were covered in blossomed vines. There was also flowering plants on the balcony that smelled sweet. Serena was mesmerised by this sudden change of mood. It was beautiful.

"The stars look great tonight." May said.

"They sure do." Serena added.

They kept watching the starts but then something caught Serena's attention.

"May look! Over there." She said and directed May's attention to something in the sky.

There were two pokemons flying in the sky with two different riders on them. One pokemon was a Charizard and other one was a Flygon. The Riders were Ash and Drew, riding side by side in the sky.

"It's Drew." Serena said.

"And Ash." May added from behind her.

"So that's Ash?" Serena said as she looked closely and then rolled her eyes, "I know him. I know that guy, I saw him that afternoon, I even gave my card to him, I can't believe he is the guy, the killer." She continued.

May nodded, "Mmmm hmmm. But what Drew is doing with Ash? where are they going?" May said clutching the handrail of the balcony tightly.

"Hey Drewwwwww!" Serena screamed and waved at him but Drew didn't seem to listen.

"They aren't listening." May said.

The two riders soon flew away in the sky on their pokemons.

"Where did they go?" Serena asked.

"No wonder." May replied. She felt awkward. The strange feelings in her gut returned. But this time she didn't feel jealous of the girl standing by her side. She felt jealous of Ash, for having Drew.


End file.
